JAPAN: Number of apartments for seniors has doubled since March 2008

. TOKYO, Japan / The Japan Times / Kyodo News / August 13, 2009 The number of rental apartments for senior citizens has doubled from March 2008 to about 36,000 as a shortage of places in public nursing homes has prompted developers to build properties for seniors, land ministry officials said Wednesday. While the shortage of public housing facilities for the elderly has grown amid the aging of the population and the financial difficulties of the central and local governments, real estate developers and nursing care providers have increased apartments for seniors in the absence of tough regulations, they said. After registration of such apartments commenced in December 2005, the number increased to 10,000 in March 2007 and to 18,800 in March 2008, the Foundation for Senior Citizens' Housing said. A private research institute said the number could double from the current level to 73,000 units by March 2014. While the apartments are designed for senior citizens, no regulations are imposed on services at the facilities. Monthly rent for the apartments ranges from ¥100,000 to ¥200,000, far lower than for regulated private nursing homes, where nursing care experts must be stationed. The apartments have thus attracted senior citizens who do not want to enter costly private nursing homes and are unable to secure places in public ones. [rc] (C) The Japan Times