#Japan #Tokyo #wood construction #New Residential Industry Theory #Japan Mobile Architecture Association

Upcoming Symposium on New Residential Industry Theory

The Japan Mobile Architecture Association, located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, will hold an important symposium on May 13, 2025, to celebrate the release of 'New Residential Industry Theory', which was published on April 8, 2025. This event is highly anticipated, attracting many inquiries and supportive comments regarding the book's contents.

The questions engaging the audience highlight critical issues in the field, including the distinctions between traditional industrial methods of housing construction and the innovative approaches outlined in the book. Participants are eager to explore how a sustainable relationship with Japan's forests can be established, the prospects of new franchise models, and the adaptability of small-scale builders to recent regulations and technology transformations. Additionally, discussions will address the responsibilities surrounding temporary housing supply in the event of major earthquakes, such as those along the Nankai Trough.

Event Structure

The symposium will feature prominent co-authors from the book, who will come together to discuss the central concepts, goals, and a concrete roadmap concerning the future of residential industry in Japan. It will consist of two main discussion panels, each focusing on different aspects of the industry transformation.

Event Details:

• - Theme: Open Industrialization of Wooden Houses Centered on Forests and Small, Decentralized Supply Chains, Aiming for 1,000 Open Certification Factories Nationwide
• - Date: May 13, 2025, from 2 PM to 5 PM
• - Format: Zoom Webinar (Details will be provided upon registration)
• - Capacity: 200 participants (Open to all)
• - Organizer: Japan Mobile Architecture Association
• - Collaborators: Daiwa Life Next, Rikkyo University Social Design Institute Mobile Architecture Research Project, Sohjusha

Agenda Overview

The event will be hosted by Norifumi Nakayama, the CEO of Sohjusha, followed by opening remarks and problem raising by the association's CEO, Toshinari Nagasaka, who is also a professor at Rikkyo University’s Graduate School of Social Design.

Panel Discussion I:

Strategies and Methods Supporting High Performance Housing through Industrialization and Supply Chain for Small-Scale Builders
Speakers:

• - Yasuo Komi, Dean of the Architectural and Urban Design Department, Tokyo City University
• - Hirofumi Shiochi, Chairman, Wood Station Inc.
• - Hiroshi Hagiwara, Principal Consultant, Japan Mobile Architecture Association
• - Tomokazu Oba, CEO of Create Reibun and Principal Consultant at the Japan Mobile Architecture Association
• - Takashi Sato, CEO of Sato Construction (video message on housing supply challenges in rural and island areas)

Commentator:

• - Toshinari Nagasaka

Break (10 minutes)

Panel Discussion II:

Strategies and Challenges in Fulfillment of Reforestation Responsibilities and Wood Supply Storage for National Emergencies
Speakers:

• - Koji Hongo, Vice President, National Wood Union
• - Hideo Sakai, Emeritus Professor of the University of Tokyo and President of the Japan Wood Biomass Energy Association
• - Hirofumi Shiochi

Commentator:

• - Toshinari Nagasaka

The symposium will conclude with a summary and closing remarks by Nagasaka.

Participation Registration

Those interested in attending must register via the provided Google Form. The registration deadline is May 12, 2025, at 6 PM.

Related Book:
'New Residential Industry Theory' was published on April 8, 2025. For those yet to read it, copies can be ordered through the official webpage.