Major construction material prices remain stable
Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism released its October construction material supply and price survey on October 26, 2026. The survey, conducted from October 1 to 5, covered 13 product categories across seven major material groups, including ready-mixed concrete, steel and timber. Prices were classified as unchanged across all surveyed categories, supply and demand were balanced, and inventory conditions were assessed as normal for the materials covered by the inventory survey.
Construction labor remains in short supply
A separate ministry survey released on the same day showed a nationwide labor shortage rate of 1.3% across eight construction occupations in September. This matched August but represented a 0.2 percentage-point widening from the 1.1% shortage recorded a year earlier. Civil engineering reinforcing-bar workers were in surplus, while other surveyed occupations showed shortages. Regionally, Tohoku recorded a surplus while other regions experienced shortages.
Stable materials do not guarantee stable project budgets
For property developers and renovation investors, unchanged material prices provide useful context but do not establish that total construction costs are fixed. Labor, transportation, equipment and site-specific requirements also influence budgets. Overseas buyers planning to renovate Japanese properties should distinguish nationwide material indicators from actual contractor quotations. Regional and occupational differences in labor availability may affect project scheduling and pricing even when material supply is broadly balanced.