Building Control in Japan

by HASEGAWA Tomohiro
日本の建築規制 長谷川知弘
Ver. 1910‐ Part F ‐‐ Table of Contents and Abbreviations‐ Part A

Building Control System in General‐ Part B

Background Information‐ Part C

Building Regulatory System‐ Part D

Technical Requirements for Building Safety and Amenity (Group A)‐ Part E

Technical Requirements from the viewpoint of City Planning (Group B)‐ Part F Technical Requirements from the viewpoint of Land‐development (Group C)
Chapter 19

Land‐development Permission System

Chapter 20

Technical Requirements from the viewpoint of Land‐development‐ Annexes (under construction)
1Chapter 19

Land‐development Permission System2

Development Permission and Building Confirmation(Building Confirmation in Japan is similar with Building Permission in other countries.)
Housing estate development, for example, is done through two steps of physical works asbelow.
(1) Construction of public facilities, such as access road, inner‐area road and park, andconversion of land plots (subdivision). CPL calls it “Development activity”.
(2) Building construction
When someone intends to do development activity with scale below, he/she needs
development permit from the prefectural governor (mayor in case of large city) based on CPL.
Development area scale that needs Development Permit
Location

Development
area scale

City Planning Area
Urbanization Promotion Urbanization Control
Area (UPA)
Area (UCA)

Un‐divided City
Planning Area

Out of CityPlanningArea

1,000 m2 or more

3,000 m2 ormore

10,000m2
or moreAll (see next page)(Remark) Some local governments set different numbers.

Then, when someone intends to building construction, he/she needs building confirmationfrom the local government or one of the designated private bodies based on BSL. (Details willbe explained later.)3Technical Criteria of Development Permission• Proper public facilities, such as roads, parks, schools, etc. must bedesigned.
• Safely structures, such as foundations and retaining walls, must bedesigned.
• Environmentally sound development must be designed.
• Proper water supply and sewer system must be designed.
The Standards further specify details on roads and parks.
Road: Be connected with roads at least 9 meters wide to ensuresmooth access. Inner Roads shall be at least 6 meters wide to ensure
two‐way access
Parks: The total area of open spaces shall be at least 3% of the total
development area.
4Chapter 20

Technical Requirements from the viewpoint of Land‐development

5Land‐Development Standard(The use of scheduled buildings etc.)
1. The use of scheduled buildings etc. shall conform to the restriction on such use set forth in:(a) G‐LUP/ZC,(b) D‐LUP/ZC, or(c) Proposal, which is described in the application.
(Roads, parks, open spaces and other vacant spaces for public use )2. Roads, parks, open spaces and other vacant spaces for public use shall be of scale and structure, andbe properly located, so that they will cause no inconvenience from the viewpoints of environmental
preservation, disaster prevention, traffic safety and the efficiency of business activities considering
the following items.
(a) Scale and shape of the development area and the conditions of its surroundings;(b) Topography of land in the development area and nature of the ground;(c) Uses of scheduled buildings, etc;(d) Scale and layout of the sites of scheduled building, etc.
(e) Proposal of regulation items, such as Land Use, H (Maximum building height) , E (Land use ratio),and COS (Land use coefficient), if it is attached to the application form.

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(Sewers and other drainage facilities)
3. Sewers and other drainage facilities shall be designed considering the following matters withstructure, capacity and appropriate layout, and will not cause any damage in the development areasand surrounding areas by inundation etc.
(a) Precipitation in the relevant area;(b) Matters listed in sub‐items (a) through (e) of the previous paragraph and conditions in thedischarge destination.
Wastewater including:‐ black water (wastewater from toilet) and‐ grey water (wastewater from kitchen, shower, washing machine, etc.
must be discharged according to the table below.
Building Buildings other than the right
Location of
the development areain the service area of
public sewerage system

Residential building with total floor arealess than 300 m2, in the development
area with 5 ha or lessTo the public sewerage system.

out of the service area of To the drainage after
public sewerage system treatment less than 60
mg/liter in effluent BOD(Biochemical Oxygen
Demand).

the septic tank in accordance with
“Standard of Septic Tank for Household”
shall be regarded as a method oftreatment in the left.
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(Water supply facilities)
4. Water supply facilities shall be designed considering the matters listed below with structure, capacity
and appropriate layout that will not hinder anticipated demand in the relevant development areas.
(a) Scale and shape of the development area and the conditions of its surroundings;(b) Topography of land in the development area and nature of the ground;(c) Uses of scheduled buildings, etc;(d) Scale and layout of the sites of scheduled building, etc.
(Schools and other facilities)
5. Schools and other facilities for the public interest and of scheduled buildings, etc. in the developmentareas shall be distributed in a manner that improve convenience in the development areas and thepreservation of environment in the development areas and surrounding areas, considering thepurpose of the relevant development activities.
(Ground improvement, etc.)
6. Design shall be established so that ground improvement, construction of retaining walls or drainage
facilities or other necessary measures for securing safety are taken with regard to the purpose ofpreventing disasters caused by ground sinkage, landslides or flooding or others.
<Remark>In the process of Land‐development Permission, it is not required for the developer to obtainagreement from all landowners involved in the project. But it is needed before implementation of theproject.
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