AI Data Insight
Japan's housing starts in Q2 2026 stood at 62,569 units, a slight decline from the previous value of 63,495 units, but increased by 11.4% YoY driven by a low base effect, marking the first positive growth in half a year. However, the magnitude of the rebound fell short of the consensus expectation of 15.5%, and constrained by high building material costs and potential interest rate hike pressures, the medium- to long-term outlook for the Japanese housing market remains under pressure.