Japan’s housing starts in January were 67,713 units, a 13 per cent drop from the same month in the previous year, according to Japan Lumber Reports and Japan Lumber Journal, both Friday.
Compared to January 2013, the results decreased by 2.3 per cent. The seasonally-adjusted annual rate was 864,000 units.
Housing starts of owner-occupied houses were 20,282 units, down 18.7 per cent, and decreasing for twelve consecutive months. Those of rental houses were 26,856 units, down 10.3 per cent, and built-for-sale houses were 20,042 units, down 11.2 per cent.
Housing Starts, Japan
Of the built-for-sale houses, housing starts of condominiums in Japan were 10,377 units, down 13.1 per cent, and single-family houses were 9,511 units, down 9.7 per cent, said Japan Lumber Journal.
By construction method, housing stars of prefabricated houses were 11,774 units, down 9.1 per cent, and falling for three consecutive months. Those of two-by-four houses were 8,230 units, down 5.4 per cent, and decreasing for eleven straight months.
Housing starts of wooden houses were 36,196 units, down 10 per cent, and those of non-wooden houses were 31,517 units, down 16.3 per cent.
The ratio of wooden houses was 53.5%.