Japan’s housing sector showed a strong upswing in May 2026, with housing starts jumping 33.9% year-over-year, sharply higher than the 11.4% annual increase recorded in April 2026. The latest data, updated on 30 June 2026, indicate a significant acceleration in construction activity compared with the same period a year earlier.
The figures highlight a notable shift in momentum: while April’s housing starts already pointed to a recovering market, May’s performance suggests a much stronger pace of expansion. Both the current and previous readings are calculated on a year-over-year basis, comparing each month’s activity with the corresponding month of the prior year.
