Muji Has a Prescription for the Loneliness Epidemic in Japan
The iconic homeware company is working with a developer to lure new business and younger residents back to Japan’s aging housing complexes.
Muji's joint projects with UR tackle social isolation in danchi neighborhoods.
Source: Muji House
Discussions around the loneliness epidemic are growing around the world, and in Japan, which has one of the world’s fastest-aging populations, the issue is never far from sight.
One place where the problem manifests is in the country’s vast housing complexes, known as danchi. Built to provide affordable yet modern dwellings to support the country’s post-war recovery, the complexes were initially seen as an aspirational dream for the rising middle class. Some of the existing complexes are publicly owned, while others are managed by semi-public entity UR. Over time, as the country grew richer and population growth started to slow, they gradually fell into disrepair and emptied out.