Japanese Cases

United States 

Department of Housing 

and Urban Development

and 

Japan 

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, 

Transport and Tourism 

Urban Renaissance Agency

Aging in Place:

Japan Case Studies 
DISCLAIMER

Case studies were produced by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), 

Policy Research Institute (MLIT-PRI), and Urban Renaissance Agency of Japan (UR). Consistent with the 

Memorandum of Cooperations by the two agencies, MLIT grants permission to PD&R to disseminate the 

Japan cases studies.
i 

Preface

Since February 2017, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office 

of Policy Development and Research (HUD-PD&R) and the Japan Ministry of Land, 

Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s (MLIT) Policy Research Institute (MLIT-PRI), along 

with the Housing Bureau and Urban Renaissance Agency of Japan (UR), have held numerous 

joint research meetings focused on Aging in Place (AIP). The first two meetings were held in 

Washington, D.C. at HUD headquarters in February and June 2017. The third meeting was held 

at MLIT’s headquarters in Tokyo in December 2017. Delegations visited New York City, 

Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. in January 2018. A forum was held in San Francisco in October 

2018 and in Los Angeles in June 2019. HUD researchers visited MLIT in September 2018. The 

most recent forum was held in Tokyo in 

February 2020. 

At the June 2017 meeting in Washington, D.C., Secretary Ben Carson of HUD; Minister ISHII 

Keiichi of MLIT; Maren Kasper, Executive Vice President of Ginnie Mae; and NAKAJIMA 

Masahiro, President of UR, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (hereinafter referred to as the 

“MOC”). The MOC focuses on AIP among elderly citizens in both countries. In Japan, 28 

percent of the population is age 65 or older with birthrates at an all-time low (7.5 per 1,000 of 

population in 2017). In the U.S., 14 percent of the population is age 65 or older, and by 2030 the 

number is expected to increase to 19 percent. Each day in the United States, 10,000 citizens turn 

65 years old. As in Japan, the United States is also experiencing record low birthrates (11.8 per 

1,000 of population in 2017), marking the lowest birthrate in 30 years. The aging of the 

population presents both countries with a significant demographic shift and AIP housing 

challenges. 

In the United States and Japan, older adults prefer to age in place, remaining in their current 

homes or communities. In the United States, Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities 

(hereinafter referred to as the “NORCs”) and Villages are models of actively providing 

supportive services for the elderly with organized networks of volunteer, corporate, and 

governmental stakeholders. In Japan, mixed communities with a focus on promoting multigenerational resident communities are models of efficient service delivery to the elderly. As such, 

the MOC’s initial focus on AIP and related housing and urban planning policies is an area of 

joint research that will benefit both countries.

To date, HUD-PD&R and MLIT-PRI have implemented joint projects that fully capture the spirit 

of the MOC. These activities described below represent a high level of engagement and 

evaluation exchanges between the MOC partner organizations. 
ii

A. Research exchanges at HUD headquarters where HUD-PD&R and PRI-MLIT 

identified a common research topic and began a process of focused exchanges of 

research and evaluation on AIP. 

B. HUD-PD&R and MLIT-PRI provided briefings on the housing conditions facing the 

elderly in their respective countries, especially those in subsidized housing. These 

briefings covered current policies regarding housing for the elderly as well as 

descriptions of supportive services delivery models in both countries. 

C. Site visits of AIP supported housing and community development projects were 

conducted in the United States and Japan. HUD-PD&R and MLIT-PRI research and 

policy staff participated in site visit exchanges where supportive housing models were 

being implemented across a variety of housing and community contexts. These site 

visits, along with presentations by program staff with an understanding of the social, 

historical, and political context within which these AIP housing models were 

developed, provided both research teams with useful information for assessing their 

respective housing policy for elderly residents who desire to age in place. 

As the United States and Japan continue to engage in an exchange of research and policy 

activities focusing on AIP in their respective countries, each partner has outlined a set of 

activities that are desired for the upcoming year.

For HUD-PD&R:

HUD-PD&R would like to learn more about housing and community development strategies 

MLIT and/or its affiliates (including UR) are undertaking to support AIP.

i. HUD-PD&R would like to receive additional information on community 

development models implemented in Japan to foster AIP. For example, what are 

MLIT’s community planning considerations for AIP? Are there different 

considerations for very low-income elderly compared with low- to moderateincome elderly?

ii. HUD-PD&R would welcome information on the ease of access to services as 

well as the impact of more efficient services delivery on elderly residents in the 

UR’s “Mixed Community” developments that promote multi-generational resident 

communities in suburban rental developments and often include healthcare 

facilities, health and wellness centers, and easy access to high-quality 

grocery stores. 
iii

iii. HUD-PD&R would benefit from information on strategies to promote multigenerational communities. For example, what are the core components of national 

and local housing policy that promote multi-generational community 

development? What approach(es) were taken to garner local support? How was 

financing handled? That is, what role did both national and local government play 

in financing these types of community development projects? 

iv. HUD-PD&R is interested in any developments on the Seven Eleven Japan local 

shopping support demonstration approach to supporting the delivery of healthy 

foods to seniors. 

For MLIT and UR: 

MLIT and UR would like to learn more about ongoing AIP research projects underway by 

HUD and/or its affiliates.

i. MLIT-PRI would like to receive background information about the U.S.’s 

NORCs and Village models of supportive services for older citizens, as well as 

the benefits of these models on the health and well-being of their members, 

including any research that has been published in peer-reviewed journals. 

Additionally, it would be worthwhile to acquire information about 

NORCs/Village formation, demographics of participants/residents, typical social 

supportive services provided, and membership fees. Finally, MLIT-PRI would 

appreciate any information about how NORCs/Villages are financed, common 

sustainability models, and forms of support from volunteer, corporate, and 

governmental stakeholders.

ii. MLIT-PRI would welcome updates on the status of PD&R’s Integrated Wellness 

in Supportive Housing (IWISH) demonstration. Ideally, MLIT-PRI would like to 

receive information on the subsidy mechanism, cost sharing, hiring and training 

process, and initial implementation experience.

iii. UR would like to learn more about initiatives in which private sectors (such as 

private enterprises, paid/non-paid volunteers, non-profit organizations) 

collaborate with public sectors (such as local governments and housing 

authorities) or neighborhoods to promote sustainable AIP by focusing on 

measures such as mutual aid and multi-generational interaction or any others, if 

applicable. UR would benefit from information on various concrete examples 

including the background of the initiatives, ideas/practices to sustain the 

initiatives, and outcomes (both positive and negative) of the examples. 
iv. The Housing Bureau would welcome information on the status of HUD-PD&R’s

recently awarded accessibility design grants.

A huge debt of gratitude is owed to Secretary Ben Carson (HUD), former Minister ISHII 

Keiichi and current Minister AKABA Kazuyoshi (MLIT), former Ambassador SASAE, and 

current Ambassador SUGIYAMA for their leadership and support for the ongoing research 

and policy exchange focusing on a topic of important social significance—the promotion of

housing and community development efforts to support aging-in-place among elderly

residents. Without their leadership and support, the activities performed under this MOC

would not have happened with the level of collegial and thoughtful exchanges that have been 

experienced. This partnership has facilitated a knowledge exchange that transcends cultures 

and supports AIP in both the United States and Japan. 

We hope you find the following set of case studies informative. Again, we express our 

gratitude to our senior leadership, as well as collaborators within HUD-PD&R, MLIT 

and UR.

We look forward to the ongoing joint research and policy exchanges among HUD, MLIT,

and UR. 

October 2020 

Mr. SUMIMOTO Yasushi

President

Policy Research Institute (PRI)

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) 

Mr. Seth Appleton 

Assistant Secretary

Policy Development and Research (PD&R)

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 

iv
1 

Case Study 1: Voluntary and Active Development of Community by Neighborhood

• Aging in place requires a variety of sustainable services to support the life of the 

elderly individual. Because financial resources of the elderly often are limited, 

communities can be a valuable source of such support. 

• Research on volunteer activities in communities reveals that individuals who choose 

to stay in their homes as they age benefit greatly from receiving necessary support 

services based on their needs and active interaction with other members of the 

community.

1. Background and Research Objective

For the elderly to age in place safely and securely, self, mutual, and cooperative supports are 

necessary. In Japan, although long-term care and national health insurance function well on 

the basis of national participation, additional support is necessary to complement the system, 

especially in a region where the elderly population has been steadily increasing. To address 

that need, resident associations, neighborhood associations, and volunteer groups in Japan 

have started to provide support services to help elderly individuals who remain at home 

during their later years.

This document explores the following aspects of community support services for the elderly: 

catalysts, contents, funding sources, and coordination of benefits with other residents in those 

communities. The document then describes the effects of the support services on users of 

those services and wider reaching effects.

The following is a case study on support services actively sustained by neighborhoods, 

subsequent to the opening of Silver Furatto Tategaoka: Counseling Room of Hachioji City for 

the Elderly (Furatto Counseling Room), a center in Tategaoka Housing Complex established 

by municipalities for general services and care for the elderly.

2. Scheme

2.1 Site Overview

Tategaoka Housing Complex (Figure 1) is in Hachioji City, Tokyo, a suburban area in the 

Greater Tokyo metropolitan area, an hour and 20 minutes west of central Tokyo (Figure 2). In 

1974, the Urban Renaissance Agency (formerly the Japan Housing Corporation) (UR) started 

managing rental units of the housing complex. Today, Tategaoka provides 2,847 units for 

3,200 residents, of which 1,760—55 percent of the total resident population—are age 65 and 

older as of March 2018. 

 

 

Figure 2. Location of Tategaoka housing 

complex 

Figure 1. Housing units of Tategaoka 

housing complex
2 

2.2 People, Groups, and Public Sectors Involved

Hachioji City commissioned the Hachioji City Health Cooperative Association1 to operate a 

center that provides support for the elderly at Furatto Counseling Room (Figure 3). 

Individuals and neighborhood associations are involved in a variety of activities there. 

Hachioji City municipal office is responsible for funding the operational expenses and for 

regional welfare and nursing care at Furatto Counseling Room. Many students from several 

universities participate in the community’s activities.

2.3 Activities

Furatto2 Counseling Room conducts three types of activities in Tategaoka housing complex:

1. Promote resident interaction and share local information 

2. Promote new support activities for the elderly

3. Promote opportunities for interaction between students and elderly people in the housing 

complex 

Promote resident interaction and share local information

The counseling room for the elderly was set up by Hachioji City in May 2011 and was 

subsidized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Originally called the “police box for the 

elderly,” its purpose was to offer care and advice for the elderly in a building that had once 

been a store in a shopping zone of the Tategaoka housing complex. 

Activities of the counseling room include the following: 

1. Provide care and services for the elderly, including those who are isolated; for 

example, counselors investigate the situation if housing complex residents report that 

an isolated elderly individual with serious health or mobility issues may be having 

problems. 

2. Provide information about long-term care and insurance services; for example, when 

residents need services, the counseling desk offers to coordinate with the appropriate 

support centers or medical institutions.

3. Provide free counseling for low-income residents in collaboration with city agencies 

and UR for further support. 

4. Respond to requests for help by residents; for example, a counseling staff member 

may go to the resident’s home to help with a simple repair, with UR. 

5. Communicate with residents to understand and solve problems they have in the 

housing complex, in coordination with other agencies. 

The Furatto Counseling Room is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Monday through Friday 

(except for national holidays). Usually, two full-time staff members are available to respond 

to requests; volunteers are arranged at the Furatto Café,3 a gathering place for residents to 

interact with each other, obtain needed information, and enjoy a cup of coffee or a soft drink. 

The drinks are available for a nominal charge (about 100 yen), so the café has no small 

number of regulars, most of them older residents of the housing complex. They chat with each 

other, consult with staff to update information on current needs, and confirm the safety of 

their neighbors. Most volunteers are also elderly people who reside in the housing complex, 

so in addition to working at the café, they have an opportunity to build new friendships. 

1 A cooperative organization that includes a hospital and institution for the elderly and visitation support services. 2 “Furatto” is a Japanese word meaning “drop by.” 3 Operational expense is supported by Hachioji City and supplemented by drink charges.
3 

Another center called Danchi no Engawa, which is managed by a neighborhood association, 

also serves drinks and provides opportunities for the housing complex residents to talk to 

community leaders from neighborhood associations.

Promote new support activities for the elderly

In Furatto counseling room, staff actively communicate with residents and are thereby able to 

understand problems or issues they may be having. Some of the issues have been solved 

through the following services. 

Bicycle taxi: A neighborhood association provides a bicycle taxi for the elderly in Tategaoka 

housing complex (Figure 4) to help them carry heavy shopping bags to their units. A powerassisted bicycle retrofitted with a roof carries one passenger in front, while the driver operates 

the bike in the space behind. Members of neighborhood associations, staff of Furatto 

Counseling Room, volunteer residents, and occasionally students from neighboring 

universities serve as the bicycle taxi drivers. The service is free, but most passengers donate 

100 yen or so for a ride. 

Support of meals for the elderly: When residents shared with volunteer staff their fear of not 

being able to obtain meals once a supermarket at the housing complex closed, the staff started 

to prepare lunchboxes for the elderly. That experience triggered the start of a community 

restaurant operated by volunteer residents, mostly women. The restaurant has become another 

meeting place for residents.

Promote opportunities for interaction between students and elderly people in the 

housing complex 

Students from universities take part in a variety of activities in the housing complex. At first, 

to increase volunteer activities in the housing complex, staff of the counseling room asked 

students at Hosei University to volunteer at the center. On hearing about the studentvolunteers from Hosei University, students in other universities also began to volunteer. 

Although some students wanted to do research on residents in the housing complex, most of 

the volunteers simply wanted to help the elderly and enjoyed the experience.

Some volunteers at Furatto Café talk with the elderly, providing the opportunity for 

multigenerational interactions. In the summertime, because prevention of heat stroke and 

other ill effects of the heat is important, more students volunteer than usual. Students stress to 

the residents the use of air conditioners and appropriate hydration, and they report to staff in 

Figure 3. Furatto Counseling Room Figure 4. Bicycle Taxi
4 

charge of the counseling room if they find someone who needs help. The students also 

distribute cups of cold water in the housing complex. 

Students, primarily from Hosei University, started volunteering in a group that visits the 

housing complex. In addition to their volunteer activities, the students participate at local 

festivals organized by residents’ or retail associations at the housing complex. As a result 

of students’ participation, Omikoshi (a portable shrine in parades of local festivals) can be 

brought to the community, which recognizes students as an indispensable part of the housing 

complex community. In addition, residents hold special celebrations for students in their 

graduating season. 

3. Findings

Furatto Counseling Room and other community spaces are special places in the neighborhood

that enable residents to have rich interactions and opportunities for multigenerational

communication with volunteer students. The elderly who visit Furatto Café can inform staff of

their current condition or conditions in the neighborhood; that information can inform staff

about what the elderly in the housing complex need when staff are formulating a support plan.

In research conducted at the housing complex in 2015,4 some residents reported that visiting 

Furatto Counseling Room provided opportunities to talk and get to know each other. That 

suggests that interpersonal relationships in the area have been enriched by the space. In 

addition, many respondents indicated that the consultation service has enhanced residents’ 

feeling of safety and security (Figure 5). 

On the effect to neighborhood of setting up Furatto Counseling Room and Danchi no Engawa, 

respondents indicated that more residents in need could be covered than had been before. 

Many residents reacted positively about increasing the number of people able to go to the 

shopping zone or about having more young people visit, which suggests that they are feeling 

more engaged within the housing complex neighborhood than before (Figure 6). Residents 

see the presence of new young student volunteers as an opportunity to interact and get 

involved with the community, even as the students engage in valuable learning experiences. 

Visitors to Furatto Café said that “This place motivates me to go outside my home and have 

4 Yoshiyuki Ishii. (2015). Effect of 'Ibasho' in Suburban of Metropolitan Area - a Case Study in Tategaoka Housing 

Complex, Hachioji City; a summary for presentation at Urban Policy Seminar in Hosei University.

Figure 5. Effect of visiting the 

counseling room 

Figure 6. Effect of visiting the counseling 

room and Danchi no Engawa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
5 

some coffee” or “We can meet and talk here,” and they are encouraged to go out and interact. 

According to Fujiwara et al. (2016), being homebound and isolated has a negative effect on 

health and longevity. Having places to meet, such as the consultation room and café, may 

provide elderly people encouragement to go out, thereby preventing isolation. 

Furthermore, providing a place for residents to interact can be a trigger to discuss issues in the 

community (for example, cooking lunch and starting a restaurant). One frequent volunteer 

member of the restaurant said that talking with neighbors and volunteers at Furatto 

Counseling Room revealed the elderly’s difficulties in shopping and availability of meals, 

which encouraged the volunteers to act, including cooking lunch. 

In Japan, the number of elderly people living in housing complexes in suburban areas is 

expected to continue to increase in the near future, and local communities in those areas may 

lack the infrastructure and resources needed to adequately address the full range of support 

services the elderly will need. Consistent with the basic plan for housing approved by the 

Cabinet in March 2018, supportive services centers in housing complexes and neighborhood 

and community enhancements that promote convenience for multigenerational residents are 

necessary to support elderly residents who want to age in their own home. As this case study 

suggests, further research regarding revitalization of communities and localization of 

supportive services methods for the elderly is needed if we are to develop effective strategies 

to support aging in place. 

Reference

Fujiwara, Y., M. Nishi, T. Fukaya, M. Hasebe, K. Nonaka, T. Koike, H. Suzuki, Y. Murayama, 

M. Saito, and E. Kobayashi. 2016. “Synergistic or Independent Impacts of Low Frequency of 

Going Outside the Home and Social Isolation on Functional Decline: A 4-Year Prospective 

Study of Urban Japanese Older Adults.” Geriatrics & Gerontology International 17(3): 500–

508. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Relationship of the homebound, isolation, and the risk of death of the elderly

Note: When the number of deaths after 4 years in non-homebound and not isolated population is estimated as 1, respective 

numbers for each population are shown in the vertical axis. Left graph: male; right graph: female. 

Source: Fujiwara et al. (2016). 
6 

Case Study 2: Daily Living Support Services in Collaboration with Private Companies

• To achieve aging in place, a living environment must be in place in which people 

of various generations and diverse households can live without worry, and in 

which support services for daily living are provided in response to changes in 

social structures and people’s increasingly diversified needs.

• The Urban Renaissance Agency has been carrying out initiatives to further 

increase the services offered by convenience stores, such as shopping assistance, 

creating communities, and offering job opportunities. Residents, including the 

elderly, highly value those services.

1. Purpose and Background of the Study

Rental housing that the Urban Renaissance Agency has provided (hereafter, UR rental 

housing) is located mainly in suburban areas of large cities, where the aging population is 

expected to increase rapidly. The agency has therefore been endeavoring to develop housing 

and communities suited to a growing aging society. 

Approximately 60 percent of UR rental housing was established between 1965 and 1979, and 

it needs to be made more accessible, to include design features outside the unit that support 

aging in place. 

To achieve aging in place, a living environment must be in place in which people of various 

generations and diverse households, including elderly people and families with children, can 

live without worry. Support services for daily living must be provided that appropriately 

respond to changes in social structures—such as depopulation, the declining birthrate, and a 

growing proportion of elderly people—and to the increasing variety of needs among the 

aging population. 

One of the measures to enhance the convenience of residents in UR rental housing and to 

revitalize each housing complex is a collaboration between UR and convenience store chains 

to open new convenience stores in housing complexes as bases to provide daily living 

support services.

2. Major Initiative: Green Town Misumi First Avenue

2.1. Site Overview

The Green Town Misumi First Avenue is in the western suburbs of Tokyo, approximately 40 

minutes from Shinjuku Station by public transportation. It consists of a Tokyo public housing 

complex and private detached housing. The housing complex, which the Urban Renaissance 

Agency (formerly the Japan Housing Corporation) has managed since 1958, was remodeled 

and resulted in the production of 945 new rental housing units in 1993. Approximately 40 

percent of these units are elderly households.

2.2. Responsible Entities

The Urban Renaissance Agency approached private companies and proposed that they 

collaborate to enhance convenience for the elderly in UR rental housing, in particular with 

regard to convenience stores, which provide daily necessities and have the potential to 

revitalize communities. The Urban Renaissance Agency signed a partnership agreement with 
7 

Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd.; FamilyMart Co., Ltd.; and Lawson, Inc. in July 2016, and with 

MINISTOP Co., Ltd. in April 2017. The Urban Renaissance Agency and the partners 

subsequently discussed the range of daily living support services that convenience store 

chains or store owners who established franchise agreements would provide.

 

2.3. Details of the Initiatives

Initiatives carried out under partnership agreements are activities related to the following:

• Collaboration with complexes’ management service offices

• Revitalization of communities

• Disaster preparedness

• Safety and security

• Supportive services for the elderly

• Promotion of UR rental housing

• Other activities that enhance services for residents and revitalizing complexes

Note: Details differ depending on the circumstances of each housing complex. 

In a trial demonstration, the Seven-Eleven JS Misumi First Avenue store opened in April 

2017; details of services provided are being carefully examined. Daily living support services 

provided at the store include the following: 

• Home delivery services of daily necessities, lunch boxes, and other items, mainly for 

the elderly and families with children, who may have difficulty traveling to distant 

stores

• Increased variety of vegetables and daily necessities 

• Coordination of services for daily living support needs (replacement of light bulbs, 

and so on) 

• Creation of social gathering space outside the store with tables and chairs

• Information about residents’ association activities and community building posted on a 

bulletin board in the store 

• Periodic events and participation in the summer festival at the complex 

• Management of meeting spaces and assembly halls within the complex

• Marketing of complex and amenities to attract new residents

Major Initiatives
8 

 

Variety of vegetables and daily necessities Participation in the summer festival

3. Findings

Home delivery services of food and daily living support services are popular among the 

elderly who have difficulty getting to the store. In response to survey findings, convenience

stores collaborating with UR increased their stock of vegetables and daily necessities. This 

change has resulted in greater satisfaction with access and the offerings at partner 

convenience stores. 

As of February 7, 2019, 9 of the 33 store employees were residents of the complex. They 

reported that they can work at the store without worry, knowing that they are able to respond 

quickly in the event that something happens to their children. By offering job opportunities 

within the complex, the store also promotes employment and increases motivation for people 

who have the will to work but who otherwise cannot because they need to take care of their 

children or other family members.

From the perspective of creating a better community, the store, which is closely connected to 

the complex, seems to offer a sense of safety and security to residents, even providing help to 

residents who have lost their house key, including a “lock-out” service.

In addition to selling goods, convenience stores provide various services, such as 

multifunction copying machines, receiving express packages, and ATM services. Stores that 

are run under partnership agreements are also required to provide daily living support services 

in those housing complexes and regions. In UR housing complexes, the stores are also 

expected to offer opportunities and platforms for promoting community engagement and 

social activities. 

Convenience stores can contribute significantly to developing an environment that enables 

people of various generations to continue living in their familiar places. The Urban 

Renaissance Agency will reach out to other convenience stores while continuing to monitor 

the pilot stores and will examine how providing daily living support services with private 

companies facilitates and promotes aging in place.
9 

Case Study 3: Management of Residential Area by Private Entities 

• In a suburban residential development, the demographics show an uneven 

generational pattern. Particular attention has been given to growth management 

as well as managing the sustainability of services to support the needs of residents 

in these communities, especially the needs of the elderly and families with 

young children. 

• This case study focuses on a private developer that has addressed generational 

diversity through growth management focused community development and the 

provision of services and amenities that meet the needs of community residents. The 

case study highlights important components that are believed to contribute to 

improving the quality of life among residents in this community, especially among 

elderly residents and families with young children.

1. Background and Objective of the Research

In Japan, most suburban residential areas that developed during the period of rapid economic 

growth—when houses and condominiums were typically sold to young families with 

children—have experienced an even more rapid growth in the proportion of its residents who 

are elderly. This demographic shift has resulted in loss of retailers, fewer services addressing 

the needs of the elderly population, and communities that are ill-equipped to address the needs 

of a growing elderly population. Therefore, private developers are rethinking community 

development efforts to promote generationally diverse communities by incorporating 

multigenerational development strategies.

This case study describes the implementation of a housing and community development 

management strategy focused on generational diversity and responding to the needs of all 

residents, with particular attention given to elderly residents and families with children. 

2. Scheme

2.1 Site Overview

Yūkari-ga-Oka5 is a suburban residential area in Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture, east of 

Tokyo, about 38 km (or 1 hour) from Tokyo Station. Yamaman Co., Ltd. (hereafter, 

Yamaman), a business development entity, has been developing in the town since 1971; 

in 1980, the first residents started to move in. The development plan covers an area of 245 

hectares prepared for 8,400 households, or 30,000 residents6 (Table 1). The Automated 

Guideway Transit System (AGT) developed by Yamaman provides transportation to all 

services and amenities within the community (see tennis racquet-shaped route in Figure 1). 

Residents within the community are a short 10-minute walk to the closest AGT station. 

Further, the Yamaman Yūkari-ga-Oka station, which serves the Keisei line connected to 

central Tokyo, is easily accessible from the AGT and offers a combination of commercial 

businesses and residential properties. According to the 2015 national census, the residents 

of the area7 numbered approximately 17,000 in 6,700 households—25.6 percent of those 

were elderly.

5 “Yūkari-ga-Oka” means “Eucalyptus Hill,” which is named after the environmental friendliness of the eucalyptus tree. 6 From Yume Hyakka, Encyclopedia of Dreams, vol. 10, 2nd ed. Tokyo, Japan: Yamaman, 2016. 7 As of 2019, the development areas include Miyano-Dai 1 to 6 cho-me, Yūkari-ga-Oka 1 to 7 cho-me, 

Minami Yūkari-ga-Oka, and Nishi Yūkari-ga-Oka 1 to 7 cho-me.
10 

2.2 Provider

Yamaman has 130 employees and shows annual sales of 10 billion yen. In contrast to the 

usual operation of residential development companies as “sell out and withdraw,” in which a 

development company withdraws from an area after the period of intense sales, Yamaman has 

displayed long-term commitment to management in Yūkari-ga-Oka. Even after the sale of 

housing was completed, Yamaman set up affiliated companies and has taken an interest in 

railway development, commercial complexes, and nursing and security services in the area. 

2.3 Details

2.3.1 Limitation on Number of Housing Sales for Growth Management

Tokyo’s suburban residential areas are commonly comprised of a sizable elderly population 

that continues to live at home even after children grow up and move out. Because the 

subsequent numbers of young families moving in 

eventually slow, the average age of the population 

in the area continues to increase. To manage 

community growth and ensure generational 

diversity, Yamaman limits the number of housing 

units for sale in Yūkari-ga-Oka to roughly 200 

units yearly.8

 In addition, the development of 

condominium projects has been strategic in that it 

helps (1) transition of elderly residents from 

detached homes to smaller, more accessible 

condominiums and (2) provide access to affordable 

homes for young families with children.9 The ratio 

of houses to condos is 6:4. 

When the first families moved into in Yūkari-gaOka more than 35 years ago, they included couples 

in their 30s to early 40s and young families with 

children ages 15 or younger. Since then, 20 percent 

of those moving to the community have been 

couples in their 30s and early 40s and 15 percent 

have been young families with children. Yūkariga-Oka is more generationally diverse compared 

with a housing complex in another area developed 

around same time,10 which is home to a significant 

proportion of people ages 60 and older as of 2015 

(Figure 2).

8 Interview with representative of Yamaman (December 25, 2018). 9 In a high-rise condominium completed in 2013, one in four unit buyers was someone who had been living in 

the area. 10 A housing complex in Saitama Prefecture was developed from 1976 to 1986. The housing complex, which is 

30 to 40 km from Tokyo, is on a 138 ha area, with 5,150 units. According to the national census in 2015, the 

town had 12,600 residents, of which 29.2 percent were elderly.

Figure 1. Site location and development projects

of Yūkari-ga-Oka

 

Table.1. Development Plans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
11

2.3.2 Development of institutions and services for generational needs

Efforts to increase the number of young families with children living in Yūkari-ga-Oka have 

proven to be challenging. Conversely, the number of elderly people in the area is increasing. 

Since 1997, Yamaman has been promoting generational diversity approaches to community 

development in Yūkari-ga-Oka. Using information gleaned from questionnaires11 assessing 

the needs of residents, Yamaman has been able to identify the types of support services and 

amenities residents report needing in order to live comfortably in Yūkari-ga-Oka.

In 2002, Yamaman updated its site plan to address the supportive service needs of an aging 

population. The update covers 15 hectares in the northwest section of an area constructed for 

mixed use and includes an intensive care home for the elderly, a long-term healthcare facility, 

a group home for the elderly with dementia equipped with an after-school day care center for 

kids, a cardiology internal medicine clinic, and a garden for therapy. These facilities provide 

not only institutionalized care but also support for those who need nursing and medical care at 

home. Medical, welfare, health, and educational sectors coordinate to improve the quality of 

services, which has been a basic part of the integrated community care system. An estimated 

15 to 33 percent of those using the facilities are Yūkari-ga-Oka residents12 (Table 2).

In addition to the elderly population, support services are also available for families with 

children. Since 1999, childcare and nursery facilities have been developed to meet the needs 

of dual-income families with children (Table 3).

2.3.3 Buying-back and resale of housing units enhanced for residence rotation

In 2005, the Happy Circle System (Figure 3) started with a housing buy-back program 

whereby Yamaman offers to buy back a house or unit at 100 percent of its assessed value, 

11 Yamaman distributes the questionnaire to all households once every few years. 12 Interview with Yamaman representative.

Table 2. Rates of Yūkari-ga-Oka residents 

in institutions for the elderly

 

Table 3. Rates of Yūkari-ga-Oka residents 

in institutions for childcare support

Figure 2. Age population composition ratio in 2015: Yūkari-ga-Oka, Housing complex A, and Japan
12 

with no charge for commission if a seller (resident) agrees to move to another unit in the area. 

The company then renovates the house or unit and resells it at almost 70 percent the cost for 

newly constructed homes in the area. Changes in lifestyle as a result of children moving out 

or the aging of a family member cause many residents to consider a housing change. Whereas 

housing changes normally require complicated procedures and a commission fee payment, 

residents who use this system can avoid those troublesome processes and move to condos or 

institutions for the elderly relatively smoothly. Because a substantial number of renovated, 

reasonably priced housing units are supplied in the market, young working families—

frequently, those with children—are able to move into the area by buying an affordably 

priced home. 

In total, about 30 to 40 units are sold yearly (Figure 4). Couples in their 30s and 40s with 

children make up about 70 percent of the buyers of these resale units. Moving elderly 

residents to condos or institutions within Yūkari-ga-Oka and the renovation and resale of their

housing contribute to the sustainability of the area with multigenerational residents. 

2.3.4 Business structure and financial situation of Yamaman

As described previously, the efforts of Yamaman in Yūkari-ga-Oka demonstrate the

company’s emphasis on enhancing the sustainability of residential areas for multigenerational 

residents. By ensuring a variety of services and institutions compatible with the needs of those 

different age groups, Yamaman helps the residential environment to change with residents’ 

changing needs. Enhanced and increased access to services contributes to a higher quality of 

life and living environment for residents. Placing limits on the number of housing sales and 

promoting housing changes through a buying-back program encourage the rotation of 

households and population in the area. As long as Yamaman secures a profit from 

housing/condo sales and commercial property leases, the company can relax the profit 

margins on support services delivered to its residents. For example, security patrol activities 

to improve public safety in the area have shown a loss, and the profitability of childcare 

services has been low. The “happy circle system” has made only a small profit to date, but it 

was not undertaken with any expectation of profitability.13 And despite the lack of profit 

gains, Yamaman is committed to offering services over the long term.

In terms of Yamaman’s sales structure, houses and condos constitute 50 percent of total sales 

(Figure 5). In anticipation of the time when all new units have been sold, Yamaman is going 

to shift to another profit model: (a) renovating and rehabilitating housing units for resale and 

13 From interview with representative of Yamaman.

 

Figure 3. Happy Circle System

*Edited by the author from Yume-hyakka.

 

Figure 4. Sales record of second-hand 

housings

*Edited from data provided by Yamaman Co. Ltd.
13 

(b) expanding its leasing business, which currently accounts for 30 percent of the company’s 

income. That model presumes the attractiveness of Yūkari-ga-Oka as a residential area. 

Therefore, Yamaman is motivated to provide quality management to sustain the attractiveness 

of the area. The current land value of Yūkari-ga-Oka has not shown a decline compared to 

other residential areas around nearby stations of the Keisei railway line (Figure 6).

14

3. Findings

In this case study, issues of an aging residential area have been addressed by a management 

company as follows:

• Managing growth within an area by limiting the number of housing sales and, in doing 

so, supporting generational diversity—young families with children in the same 

community with aging residents.

• Supporting multigenerational residents by updating the site plan for an area that 

provides services for the elderly and childcare services for younger families.

• Implementing the Happy Circle System that promotes rotation of housing and support 

services to multigenerational residents to improve sustainability of the area.

• Concentrating on management efforts that maintain the value of the area and taking a 

long-term, sustainable approach, not a short-term, profit-only approach.

Yamaman’s management approach to sustaining generational diversity is evident in the way 

they make a unique property sales strategy while addressing residents’ needs at every stage in 

life: moving in, daily life, and moving to other housing. The company provides a diverse set 

of services and plays multiple roles in the community—developer, service coordinator, 

builder, and asset manager—all with a consistent philosophy. The company’s long-term 

perspective in comprehensive management has been successful, from managing funds among 

projects to performing needs assessments of residents. As a private-sector entity, Yamaman’s 

ability to achieve such a comprehensive effort in its business shows that a multigenerational 

community can be realized through strategic growth and property management approaches. 

Other public-private ventures are taking a similar approach to the Yūkari-ga-Oka 

14 In Figure 6, to compare land prices around Yūkari-ga-Oka, two standard points are set in each of the following

residential areas: Yūkari-ga-Oka, Oji-Dai (Usui station of Keisei line), and Katsuta-Dai (Katsuta-Dai station). 

The following are the points and distances from the railway station: (a) Yūkari-ga-Oka A, 0.9 km from the 

station; (b) Yūkari-ga-Oka B, 1.3 km from the station; (c) Oji-Dai A, 0.5 from the station; (d) Oji-Dai B, 1.1 km 

from the station; (e) Katsuta-Dai A, 0.4 km from the station; and (f) Katsuta-Dai B, 1.5 km from the station.

Figure 5. Sales composition of Yamaman

Source: Nikkei Inc. 2016 Sales composition in “Profile of 

Yamaman Co., Ltd.” Nikkei Telecom, January 21, 2016, with edits 

by the author

Figure 6. Land prices around Yūkari-ga-Oka 

Source: Data from “Land General Information System,” Ministry 

of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, with edits by 

the author
14 

development strategy15,16—even if their efforts don’t forecast a sizable profit margin. These 

efforts should also be studied, with a focus on comprehensive management approaches 

initiated by the private companies. 

Reference

Yamaman Co., Ltd. 2016. Yume Hyakka (Encyclopedia of Dreams), vol. 10, 2nd ed. Chuo-ku, 

Japan: Yamaman.

Other Relevant Reference Sources 

Jun, G. 2011. “Study on Sustainable Management in New Town: A Case Study Yukarigaoka 

Newtown.” Urban Housing Sciences 75: 75–79 (in Japanese). 

Kaori, F., and O. Toshio. 2007. “A Study on the Dynamics of Population in Yukarigaoka New 

Town.” Summaries of technical papers of Annual Meeting of the Architectural Institute of 

Japan. E-2, Architectural Planning and Design II, Dwelling Houses and Housing Sites, 

Rural Planning, Education: 223–24. (in Japanese) 

Shinjiro, H. 2013. “Town Development Learned from Experience of Development in Yūkariga-Oka.” The Land Institute of Japan. http://www.lij.jp/lec/php/lecdetail.php?id=169.

(accessed September 14, 2018) 

———. 2018. “The Strategies and Issues of Housing Circulation System in Town Planning: A 

Case Study of “Yukarigaoka” New Town.” Urban Housing Sciences 103: 72–76. (in 

Japanese)

Yuya, S, K. Shigenori, and U. Mari. “Study on the Realities of Area Management Led by 

Private Associations: Cases in Yukarigaoka District and Usui District, Sakura City.” 

Urban Housing Sciences 39: 43–48. (in Japanese) 

15 For example, Tokyu Corporation and Yokohama City are collaborating to build a next-generation suburban 

community. 16 For example, Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd. tries to revitalize suburban residential areas in Miki City and 

Yokohama City.
15 

Case Study 4: Creation of Regional Medical and Welfare Service Hubs

• To achieve aging in place, communities must make all-out efforts to collaboratively and 

cooperatively develop housing and communities where people of various generations can 

continuously live (multigenerational communities) through discussing emerging regional 

issues resulting from population aging and by providing housing, facilities, and services 

that the people in each region require. 

• The Urban Renaissance Agency has been carrying out initiatives, such as providing 

medical and welfare facilities, in close collaboration with local entities while fully 

providing the UR housing complexes with abundant outdoor space for the many people 

who reside there as precious resources of those regions. UR housing complexes 

functioning as regional medical and welfare service hubs enable not only residents in 

housing complexes but also people living in the surrounding areas to continue living in 

their familiar communities, irrespective of age.

1. Purpose and Background of the Study

1.1 Current Status of UR Rental Housing

Rental housing provided by the Urban Renaissance Agency (hereafter, UR rental housing) is 

mainly for families and is mostly located in suburban areas of large cities, where population 

aging is expected to progress rapidly. 

 Number of units under management by year when they were supplied
16 

Characteristics of housing by period

From 1965 to 1979, the total stock of UR rental housing was about 450,000 units in 

approximately 600 housing complexes, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the overall total in 

UR’s supply (approximately 730,000 units). Most housing units are 40m2

 to 50m2 (roughly 430sf 

to 540sf) in size, and residents report various problems, such as that they are too small for 

ordinary families based on the current standard; their layouts are not suited for current lifestyles; 

and they are not barrier free, although residents are becoming more elderly.

On the other hand, UR housing complexes have preferable living environments that have been 

developed over many years. Residents are generally satisfied and feel a sense of safety thanks to 

their advantages, including developed communities where many residents dwell together; rich, 

green environments with large premises, where buildings have wide space in between; and 

relatively lower rents.

In light of those facts, housing developers must envision a future for each housing complex in 

accordance with the circumstances of the respective regions and promote restructuring and 

reconstruction of complexes in a manner suited to the times, while effectively utilizing existing 

buildings. 

1.2 Making UR Housing Complexes Function as Regional Medical and Welfare 

Service Hubs

The Urban Renaissance Agency (UR) established the “Working Group on Desirable Housing and 

Communities in a Super-Aged Society” (chaired by Tetsuo Tsuji, Project Professor at the 

University of Tokyo) in FY 2013 to discuss the roles expected of the UR and desirable UR 

housing complexes in a super-aged society. The discussion results were compiled into a report 

and published in January 2014. 
17 

Based on the content of that report, the UR has been carrying out initiatives to make UR housing 

complexes function as regional medical and welfare service hubs, with the aim of responding to 

the issues of an aging population and a declining birth rate and contributing to developing 

community-based integrated care centers.

The ultimate goal is to achieve aging in place to enable all people to continue living in their 

familiar environments throughout their lives. The UR has been engaging in collaboration and 

cooperation with local entities to develop housing and communities centered on complexes where 

people of various generations can continuously live actively. To achieve that goal, UR 

emphasizes development of housing, facilities, and services required in each region, while fully 

providing the UR housing complexes with abundant outdoor space for the many people who 

reside there as precious resources of those regions.

Major initiatives for creating regional medical and welfare service hubs include the following:

• Promote enhancement of medical and welfare facilities in each region

• Promote development of the living environment suited to multigenerational needs 

• Promote creation of communities involving young households and families 

with children

Major Initiatives in Hubs
18 

2. Concrete Initiatives

2.1 Case 1: Toyoshikidai Complex (Kashiwa City, Chiba)

2.1.1 Outline of the housing complex

The Toyoshikidai Complex is in the suburbs, about 30 km northeast of central Tokyo. It is 

approximately 40 minutes from Tokyo Station by public transportation. The complex is 

surrounded by a residential area, mainly consisting of detached housing. 

UR (formerly, the Japan Housing Corporation) has managed this large-scale complex (4,666 

rental housing units) since 1964. UR renovated the housing and began renting out the renovated 

units in 2008 (approximately 2,100 rental housing units). Elderly households make up about 45 

percent of the residents.

2.1.2 Responsible entities

UR established the General Workshop on Aged Society in Toyoshikidai Area in Kashiwa City in 

collaboration with Kashiwa City government and the Institute of Gerontology at the University of 

Tokyo. The General Workshop has been conducting studies and demonstrations on such themes 

as the dissemination of home medical care and the creation of jobs for the elderly. The purpose of 

these efforts is to increase elderly people’s motivation in life to achieve a community where 

people can live in their homes throughout their lives, stay healthy, and actively participate in the 

community. In these activities, UR has examined desirable forms of housing complexes for the 

future and has discussed how to utilize the space in the Toyoshikidai Complex that would become 

available through the rejuvenation project. 

On the basis of its findings, UR developed a housing complex for the elderly, combining housing 

to enable residents who come to be in need of care to receive nursing care at home and various 

types of nursing care services (daycare, overnight care, and attendant services) and started renting 

those units out in May 2014. 

2.1.3 Details of the initiatives

The complex is a six-story concrete building with a total floor area of approximately 6,800 square 

meters (roughly 73,000 square feet). The second to sixth floors have 33 housing units for people 

who can live independently and 72 units for people in need of care. On the first floor are various 

facilities that provide medical and nursing care services to local residents. In this manner, the 

complex realizes community-based integrated care services, which the national government has 

been promoting. 

The front yard, which serves as a space for multigenerational interaction, is adjacent to a city 

park developed by Kashiwa City. Both the front yard and the park have no fences and are open to 

the public to facilitate exchanges between residents and local people.

Facilities such as the following offer medical care, nursing care, and support for activities of daily 

living in hubs in Toyoshikidai: 

• Housing units for the elderly with nursing care services (105 units)
19 

• Group home with commune-based nursing care for persons with dementia 

(18 beds) 

• Home-care support office 

• Attendant services office

• Small-scale, multifunctional home-care office

• Attendant services and nursing office for periodic patrols and casual responses

• Home-visit nursing station

• Clinic

• Home-care support clinic 

• Community-based integrated care center

• Pharmacy

• Childrearing support facilities (afterschool care facility, etc.)

• Multigenerational exchange space 

Image of Hub

2.2 Case 2: Tamadaira Complex (Hino City, Tokyo)

2.2.1 Outline of the housing complex

The Tamadaira Complex is in the suburbs, approximately 35 km west of central Tokyo and about 

50 minutes from Shinjuku Station by public transportation. The complex is surrounded by public 

housing, regular housing, and several large-scale factories.
20 

UR, which has managed the complex since 1958, renovated the housing and began renting out 

the units in 2002 (1,528 rental housing units). Elderly households make up about 49 percent of 

the residents.

2.2.2 Responsible entities

Before the reconstruction, in 1996, the residents’ association, Hino City, and UR started study 

sessions. In 2008, they came to an agreement concerning the creation of an integrated community 

by using space on the premises that would become available through the rejuvenation project. 

Thereafter, the three parties formulated plans on specific utilization measures.

Based on those plans, UR, in collaboration and cooperation with Hino City and the residents’ 

association, has been endeavoring to realize a multigenerational community where people of 

various generations can continue living actively. UR renovated the housing complex to achieve 

barrier-free and enhanced living conditions, while maintaining the abundant outdoor space of the 

complex and—together with local entities—by developing better medical, welfare, and nursing 

care facilities.

2.2.3 Details of the initiatives

The following is an overview of the aims of the initiatives and how UR is accomplishing 

those aims:

• Collaboration with local entities

o Periodic meetings with local entities concerning such topics as the creation of the 

community and support for the elderly, and so on 

• Promotion of residency of people of various generations 

o Provision of barrier-free housing by the Urban Renaissance Agency 

o Provision of detached housing and condominiums by private companies 

o Promoting and supporting the development of a shared house, houses with 

vegetable gardens, and housing for the elderly with nursing care services

o Development of community cafeterias, daycare centers, and other service facilities

• Lifelong learning and fostering of communities

o Development of centers for lifelong learning and cultural interaction (social 

education center, library, and so on) 

• Development of a comfortable living environment

o Provision of barrier-free housing by the Urban Renaissance Agency 

o Promoting and supporting development of large-scale commercial facilities, 

supermarkets, and other conveniences 

o Provision of shopping and delivery services by private company

• Promotion of health and preventive health care

o Exercise classes at assembly halls
21 

o Creation of opportunities to get out (walk gatherings) 

o Establishment of health promotion facilities by private company (a fitness club)

• Dementia care

o Opening of a cafe with medical care for persons with dementia 

• Development of facilities for coordinated medical and nursing care

o Opening of a rehabilitation hospital 

o Relocation of the Medical Association Hall, evening medical services on 

weekdays, and provision of services related to medical care, nursing care, and 

welfare

Major Initiatives in The Tamadaira
22 

 

Regional Comprehensive Care System in the Tamadaira

3. Findings 

In efforts to make UR housing complexes function as regional medical and welfare service 

centers, the priority is to develop housing and communities where people of various 

generations—not just elderly people—can continuously live actively. With UR housing 

complexes functioning as regional medical and welfare service hubs, people living in the 

surrounding areas and residents in the housing complexes can continue living in their familiar 

regions, irrespective of age, and will thus contribute to the overall revitalization of those regions.

Efforts to attain that goal must include not only responding to each region’s needs and the 

characteristics of respective housing complexes but also adjusting in accordance with changing 

times and diversifying lifestyles.

The Urban Renaissance Agency plans to maintain collaborative relationships with local entities 

and take on new measures successively—with the aim of developing housing and communities 

that enable multigenerational households to continuously live in their familiar homes throughout 

their lives, stay healthy, and actively participate in the community.
23 

July 2020