Sharing apartments as roommates is a foreign concept in Japan- single people have traditionally preferred their own tiny living quarters. A new glut of large, fancy apartments has created a new market for roomies.
Mariko Sanchanta writes about a real-estate company that is making sharing a flat attractive by targeting women in particular.
"Demographic shifts in Japan have created a breed of single women who work late, are often out on the weekends and just want a convenient place to crash. "The average age for marriage in Japan is steadily increasing, and fewer females want to live at home with their parents," says Takanori Nakamura, a senior research and development director at Hakuhodo Inc, a Japanese advertising agency. "Meanwhile, salaries are decreasing and women want to maintain their lifestyles. Rent is the first thing they cut.""
FULL STORY: Sayonara to the Rabbit Hutch: Living With Roommates in Japan
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UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
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Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research