Japan’s housing starts fell 0.4% yoy in January 2026, easing from a 1.3% drop in the previous month and beating market expectations of a 1.6% decline. It marked the third consecutive month of contraction, though the pace was the mildest since July 2024. Rental housing starts declined at a slower rate (-1.5% vs -3.4% in December). Meanwhile, owner-occupied homes rebounded (6.6% vs -1.8%), as did prefabricated housing (5.1% vs -6.1%). Starts for two-by-four homes also accelerated (8.7% vs 2.8%). In contrast, built-for-sale housing fell 4.8%, reversing a 1.9% increase in December. source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan

Housing Starts YoY in Japan decreased by 0.40 percent in January from -1.30 percent in December of 2025. Housing Starts YoY in Japan averaged 1.87 Percent from 1961 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 67.60 Percent in March of 1972 and a record low of -44.00 Percent in September of 2007. This page includes a chart with historical data for Japan Housing Starts YoY. Japan Housing Starts YoY - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on February of 2026.

Housing Starts YoY in Japan decreased by 0.40 percent in January from -1.30 percent in December of 2025. Housing Starts YoY in Japan is expected to be 5.00 Percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Japan Housing Starts YoY is projected to trend around 0.80 Percent in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-01-30 05:00 AM
Housing Starts YoY
Dec -1.3% -8.5% -4.1% -4.4%
2026-02-27 05:00 AM
Housing Starts YoY
Jan -0.4% -1.3% -1.6% -2.0%
2026-03-30 05:00 AM
Housing Starts YoY
Feb -0.4%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Construction Orders YoY 5.70 20.20 percent Jan 2026
Housing Index 143.58 143.44 points Dec 2025
Housing Starts 62118.00 59524.00 Units Dec 2025
Housing Starts YoY -0.40 -1.30 Percent Jan 2026
Price to Rent Ratio 138.00 136.40 points Sep 2025
Residential Property Prices 4.16 3.66 Percent Sep 2025


Japan Housing Starts YoY
In Japan, housing starts refers to the year-on-year change in volume of new housing construction started.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
-0.40 -1.30 67.60 -44.00 1961 - 2026 Percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
Japan Housing Starts Drop Less than Estimated
Japan’s housing starts fell 0.4% yoy in January 2026, easing from a 1.3% drop in the previous month and beating market expectations of a 1.6% decline. It marked the third consecutive month of contraction, though the pace was the mildest since July 2024. Rental housing starts declined at a slower rate (-1.5% vs -3.4% in December). Meanwhile, owner-occupied homes rebounded (6.6% vs -1.8%), as did prefabricated housing (5.1% vs -6.1%). Starts for two-by-four homes also accelerated (8.7% vs 2.8%). In contrast, built-for-sale housing fell 4.8%, reversing a 1.9% increase in December.
2026-02-27
Japan Housing Starts Drop Less than Expected
Japan’s housing starts fell 1.3% year-on-year in December 2025, easing sharply from an 8.5% drop in the previous month and beating market expectations of a 4.1% decline. While marking the eighth contraction of the year, it was the mildest pace since September 2024. The slowdown reflected softer declines in starts for owner-occupied homes (-1.8% vs. -9.5% in November) and rental units (-3.4% vs. -5.5%). In contrast, built-for-sale housing returned to growth (1.9% vs. -11.3%), alongside a rebound in two-by-four homes (2.8% vs. -2.7%). Meanwhile, prefabricated housing contracted more sharply (-6.1% vs - 4.1%).
2026-01-30
Japan Housing Starts Unexpectedly Drop
Japan’s housing starts fell 8.5% year-on-year in November 2025, missing market forecasts of a 0.4% increase and reversing a 3.2% gain in the previous month. It marked the seventh decline recorded this year, as weakness was broad-based across housing categories, including owned homes (-9.5% vs -8.2% in October), rented units (-5.5% vs 4.2%), built-for-sale homes (-11.3% vs 14.8%), prefabricated housing (-4.1% vs 9.2%), and two-by-four homes (-2.7% vs -3.8%).
2025-12-25