I completed the master’s course and doctor’s course at the Department of Urban Planning, School of Public Affairs, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). M.A. and Ph.D. in Urban Planning. I graduated from Waseda University (Faculty of Social Sciences). I come from Kumamoto City. I developed an interest in poverty problems in urban areas when I lived in Tokyo, took a trip to Paris, and went on a short-term study in New York as an undergraduate student.

I specialize in urban housing policies. Housing accommodates households. In urban areas, the distribution of housing for households and places of residence is determined based on dynamic matching of the distribution of various types of housing stock and residence selection by households. Regarding low-income households, selection of housing and places of residence is limited due to socioeconomic restrictions. As a result, these households tend to face housing problems, such as poor facilities and overcrowded homes, and to live in areas where services and jobs are scarce.

I have conducted theoretical and practical research on such problems as the residences of lower-income households in urban areas, factors for selecting housing and places of residence, impact of the selection on their socioeconomic status, and issues of the housing and residence support policies in urban areas of the Kansai region as well as the U.S., Indonesia, and China. I am particularly interested in geographic opportunities in communities surrounding low-income households and in urban areas. Thus, I focus on analysis using the Geographic Information System (GIS).

In recent research, I analyzed the locations of public housing complexes selected by child-rearing households in Kyoto City based on application data. I empirically elucidated the tendency of single-parent households to apply for complexes near their previous place of residence. Regarding urban areas in foreign countries, I have been conducting research on the progress of the rent subsidy policy in Los Angeles and the developments in public housing reduction and urban renewal in Chicago. Regarding future research, I am interested in conducting surveys on community building in public housing and improved housing areas in urban areas in Kansai, issues regarding accepting low-income households in private rental housing, and residence support measures.

In terms of education, I serve as a supervisor for both Japanese-based and English-based undergraduate students and graduate students from various countries, including Japan, India, Indonesia, China, and Vietnam. Sometimes, I go on field trips to various areas in neighboring cities in Kansai to learn about their actual situation.

I was often told, “Take it easy when you start something!” by friends and teachers when I was a student. As undergraduates, you are expected to gain knowledge and experience. You may want to see, experience, and learn various things, but you may feel hesitant to launch into new fields. You should not show commitment from the outset: you should give it a try if you are interested. When you take on a new challenge, you will face many questions and obstacles. Gaining knowledge and experience from scratch and laying the foundation for future development are extremely important to foster an ability to think critically, and to think about your studies and future vision. Through this process, you are expected to acquire the strength and skills needed to approach problems from aspects that you can handle instead of reaching an impasse when faced with questions.

Housing policies, urban problems, poverty problems, regional disparities, public housing, housing for rent, housing support