Upzoning Japan

Shinzo Abe, prime minister of Japan, has an interest in land use.  Zoning restrictions featured prominently in a list of changes Abe promised will sweep the country in the coming months:

Soon, our deregulation package will be set in motion. Over the next two years, in designated areas, no vested interests will remain impervious. For example, in Japanese cities aspiring to world-class status, limits on floor space will become a thing of the past. We will soon see high-quality housing, business complexes, and zero-emissions towns appearing, one after another.

Matt Yglesias provides a brief analysis:

Japan already has very dense cities and a falling population, so this reform is probably less necessary than in a country like the United States or France or the United Kingdom. That said, I believe the typical Japanese dwelling is quite small so upzoning could do a lot to improve quality of life.

Soon, our deregulation package will be set in motion. Over the next two years, in designated areas, no vested interests will remain impervious. For example, in Japanese cities aspiring to world-class status, limits on floor space will become a thing of the past. We will soon see high-quality housing, business complexes, and zero-emissions towns appearing, one after another.
Read more at http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/shinzo-abe-links-economic-recovery-in-japan-to-improved-prospects-for-global-peace-and-prosperity#leRcUum17s4ULJ03.99

Soon, our deregulation package will be set in motion. Over the next two years, in designated areas, no vested interests will remain impervious. For example, in Japanese cities aspiring to world-class status, limits on floor space will become a thing of the past. We will soon see high-quality housing, business complexes, and zero-emissions towns appearing, one after another.
Read more at http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/shinzo-abe-links-economic-recovery-in-japan-to-improved-prospects-for-global-peace-and-prosperity#leRcUum17s4ULJ03.99