Japanese Women Shack Up

Sharing apartments as roommates is a foreign concept in Japan- single people have traditionally preferred their own tiny living quarters. A new glut of large, fancy apartments has created a new market for roomies.

1 minute read

December 31, 2009, 11:00 AM PST

By Tim Halbur


Mariko Sanchanta writes about a real-estate company that is making sharing a flat attractive by targeting women in particular.

"Demographic shifts in Japan have created a breed of single women who work late, are often out on the weekends and just want a convenient place to crash. "The average age for marriage in Japan is steadily increasing, and fewer females want to live at home with their parents," says Takanori Nakamura, a senior research and development director at Hakuhodo Inc, a Japanese advertising agency. "Meanwhile, salaries are decreasing and women want to maintain their lifestyles. Rent is the first thing they cut.""

Wednesday, December 30, 2009 in The Wall St. Journal

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