land management
the journal of Michael Werneburg
twenty-seven years and one million words
Tokyo, 2020.08.20
Mari told me last night that after thirty years, a law prohibiting the consumption of farmland for housing will expire. I was astonished that there was any such law in place, given the sprawl that's already happened. Technically, Tokyo's population has been flat or slightly falling for some ten plus years. But with remote work finally arriving on these shores, I could see there being some pressure to build on the edges of the city.
She says she could also see that, in turn, having a downward effect on housing costs, which have also been flat-to-falling. And maybe it will finally end the widespread illegal habit of asking for "key money" to the tune of 1-2 months' rent.