Emergency Priority Program for Reducing Housing Construction Cost

1) Rationalization of Building Regulatory System

In order to create rational regulatory system which more accurately responses to international cooperation, promotion of deregulation and other needs of the time Building Council is now investigating and deliberating on "How New Building Administration Should be in the Face of Economic Social Changes Looking into the 21st Century". On the basis of Building Council's investigation and deliberation new systematic framework for building regulations is to be prepared during FY 1996, there upon tangible preparation of the system, such as legal measures, are to be undertaken promptly thereafter.

2) Introducing Performance Concept to Building Regulatory System

Amongst studies under 1) above, as for building regulatory system, in particular, from a point of view of harmonization with international standards, induction of self-responsibility system, enlarged people's choice freedom, and inducement of technological developments, present system centering on prescriptive regulations is to be basically changed to performance-based regulations.

3) Performance-based Regulations of Wood Frame Construction Technical Standard

As for housings by wood frame construction method (i.e. 2 x 4 method, etc.) technical standard of structural method thereof is to be precedentially performance-based during FY 1996.

1) Review of Regulations on Plumbing Fixture Contractors

In order to relax regulations on plumbing fixture contractors in performing works for appointed water works utilities which require office within their service area, national qualifications shall be established for plumbing fixture engineers so that any contractor with qualified engineers may be appointed and undertake work for any waterworks utilities.
For this purpose, the revision of Water Works Law is currently been submitted to the Diet.

2) Rationalization of Water Supply Equipment Regulations

With regards to water supply equipment, national standards for the equipment structure and materials shall be clarified in an effort to establish performance-based standards of these. Attended with this, water supply equipment type approval and quality inspection presently required prior to use will be amended with general review of present system to a system in which it will be up to consumer whether or not to use one of products certified by an independent certification organization. This is expected to be enforced from FY 1997. In the new certification system by an independent third-party organization, in-house inspection and random sampling systems shall be inducted for radical simplification, whereas with present type approval system total sampling is required,. Moreover, in order to promote international harmonization of regulations, mutual recognition with overseas certification organizations shall be promoted.

In order to streamline certification process for building materials, discussions with related foreign organizations shall be promoted for mutual recognition on building codes so that mutual acceptance of building materilas may be facilitated by,for instance,recognition of foreign testing laboratories which can supply acceptable test data.
Further, with regards to foreign materials and components, in order to improve their access into Japanese market international alignment of JIS and other standards are to be promoted.
As for wood frame construction method, in particular, it is necessary to arrange that among the materials which comform to overseas common standards, some materials like lumbers, plywood, etc. that have sufficient structural strength with proper quality control system and have many things in common with Japanese products may be used for wood frame construction in Japan, provided that conformity with the said overseas standard is certified and indicated. In view of the above, discussions with overseas organizations concerned shall be proceeded with 3 countries and 10 organizations and for 30 types of building materilas as an aim within FY 1996.

In order to facilitate supply of houses using foreign materials and components, such as wood frame construction method, examination for certification by the Minister of Construction under Building Standard Law Article 38 of special building materials and structural methods must be rationalized, and examination standard for introduction of housing employing foreign methods be prepared.

It has been pointed out existence of legal obstacles such as building regulations, facilities related regulations in induction of imported houses, foreign materials and components into Japan. In order to promptly and generally grasp these pointed out matters "Housing Import Information Dial" is to be introduced utilizing Internet. Information collected at the "Housing Import Information Dial" are to be made public periodically, while at the same time notify relevant organizations for necessary corrective actions.

In order to promote propagation of foreign building materials, etc, while promoting exchange of information between foreign building material producers and Japanese housing manufacturers, it is also necessary to increase opportunities for supplying information to foreign suppliers wishing to enter Japanese market. For this purpose, "Imported Construction Materials and Equipment Fair" jointly sponsored by relevant organizations, is scheduled to be held at Yokohama during FY 1996 with suppliers from many foreign nations being asked to participate, while at the same time insuring wide publicity of the Fair to the domestic housing manufacturers and other related people for providing effective place for supply and exchange of information. Coinciding with opening of the Fair. housing and construction industry organizations and other interested parties are to be invited to attend Import Promotion Conference for active utilization of foreign building materials, etc.

In order to promote propagation of imported housings, 8 existing JETRO Imported Housing Exhibitions are to be actively utilized for providing necessary information to the consumers. Further, to promote dissemination of foreign materials and components, 2 existing JETRO Housing Materials Centers are to be utilized to provide information as well as to promote business talks.

Based on Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act and Ministry of Justice Ordinance, when granting skilled labor resident status to foreign skilled labors participating in construction of imported housings, efforts are to be made to quicken examination procedures to 2 to 3 weeks from the time applications for necessary resident approval certificate to be granted to the said foreigners are made.

Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDC), regional housing supply public corporations and other public housing supply organizations are to undertake model projects during FY 1996 to indicate to both consumers and housing manufacturers possibilities of foreign materials and components and to set examples in using foreign materials and components while at the sometime grasping cost reduction effect.

In order to widely publicize to public general of standard type housings, etc. incorporating "Plus You" housing, imported housings, reduced option specifications and to promote propagation of low cost housing market low cost model housing developments by all prefectures in the nation are to start preparation thereof in FY 1996.
For this purpose, HUDC, regional housing supply corporations and other public housing supply organizations themselves are to make active effort in creating low cost model housing developments, while central government and regional public organizations are to assist in planning, designing, exhibitions, etc. when public housing suppliers, private sector housing supply cooperative enterprises undertakes low cost housing developments.

1) In order to propagate superior but low cost housing production system to medium and small housing manufacturers supports and guidance are to be provided for cooperative production and intensified informationalization of the medium and small housing manufacturers.

2) Prepare regional centers which will serve as prefecture level housing industry modernization nucleuses.

3) Augment training facilities for securing and educating building construction skilled labors.

4) Rationalize distribution system by informationalizing housing material and component industries,encouraging standardization of housing components and equipment concering their sizes and methods of installment.

5) Technological developments of durability, aseimaticity, energy conservation, barrier free and others technologies agreeing with medium and small housing manufacturers characteristics.