Housing starts reach 30,509 units
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported on August 7 that 30,509 new homes were started in the capital during the second quarter of 2026, a 19.4% increase from a year earlier. Owner-occupied homes rose 11.5% to 3,171 units, rental housing increased 14.0% to 18,048 units and homes built for sale increased 37.5% to 9,164 units. The rise came despite elevated construction costs and high land values.
Condominium starts jump 50.9%
Within the for-sale category, condominium starts reached 4,529 units, up 50.9% year on year and marking the first increase in five quarters. June alone recorded 10,792 housing starts across Tokyo, up 16.0% from the previous year, with increases in owner-occupied, rental and for-sale housing. Starts in Tokyo's three central wards reached 226 units, up 88.3%. Housing starts are a pipeline indicator, however, and do not translate immediately into completed or available inventory.
A forward-looking indicator for Tokyo buyers
With Tokyo condominium prices at elevated levels, future supply is increasingly relevant to both homebuyers and investors. A sustained increase in construction could eventually broaden buyer choice, although land prices, building costs and project schedules will influence final selling prices. Overseas buyers can use housing-start data alongside completed-unit supply, resale transactions and mortgage conditions to assess whether individual Tokyo submarkets are likely to remain supply-constrained.