New towns in Japan

Most of the new towns in Japan are large residential estates with populations of more than 100,000, and with work-forces commuting to the parent cities. Rapid economic growth since 1960 has resulted in an enormous concentration of people in the metropolitan regions of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. Supply of public housing has been very difficult owing to a lack of suitable level land, fragmentation of land ownership, and high prices. Houses for a reasonable rent are now located a great distance from city centres.