Japan: the decline to a slower pace of housing construction

Corona virus disrupts supply chain Japanese house builders are having shortage of housing materials since many are supplied from China and the supply is disrupted by wide spread of corona virus disease in China, reports ITTO. Since workers away from home have not returned works by restriction of people’s movement to prevent from spreading virus after they visited old homes during Chinese New Year’s holidays in late January House builders in Japan are having problem to supply contracted items. Houses may not be completed in time for promised delivery period.

Three or four major building materials companies assemble kitchen, bath and wash basin but they are able to assemble without parts. Delivery time is approaching so builders are negotiating with house buyers if substituting items are acceptable. Without completion certificate issued by the official organizations, house buyers are not able to receive subsidy and housing loan without performance evaluation or conformity agreement so the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism instructed designated inspection organizations and Housing Finance Agency to issue completion certificate even if some of facilities are not completed with house buyers’ consent. Delay of deliveries also influences cash flow of house builders.