Just like with roads, more lanes means more cars. More flats can also mean more people moving to the cities.
I don't think anyone would look at Tokyo and be like, yeah more apartments is the solution. It's been what they have been doing forever, and the population and cost of the apartments just keep going up.
Tokyo actually builds a lot of new housing which accounts for why housing is affordable there. People think Tokyo is an expensive city -- and relatively speaking it is -- but it's a lot cheaper than the small US city I'm living in now.
Tokyo is a surprisingly affordable megacity because of housing availability.
My understanding that one thing that is unique in Japan is that housing is not an investment vehicle for preserving wealth. Housing is a consumable -- not an investment, and old houses actually lose value (most prefer buying new). Part of it is due to the fact that it's earthquake prone, so houses are ephemeral anyway.
Ever wondered why the population of Tokyo keeps going up? Hint: it's because of the apartments
> In the past half century, by investing in transit and allowing development, the city has added more housing units than the total number of units in New York City. It has remained affordable by becoming the world’s largest city. It has become the world’s largest city by remaining affordable.
> Those who want to live in Tokyo generally can afford to do so. There is little homelessness here. The city remains economically diverse, preserving broad access to urban amenities and opportunities. And because rent consumes a smaller share of income, people have more money for other things — or they can get by on smaller salaries — which helps to preserve the city’s vibrant fabric of small restaurants, businesses and craft workshops.
Just like with roads, more lanes means more cars. More flats can also mean more people moving to the cities.
I don't think anyone would look at Tokyo and be like, yeah more apartments is the solution. It's been what they have been doing forever, and the population and cost of the apartments just keep going up.