Photo/Illutration High-rise apartments along the coast of Tokyo (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

A Tokyo metropolitan government survey of privately owned apartment buildings about 40 years old or older found almost 16 percent of them showed signs that they lack proper management, a growing social concern in the capital. 

“The survey is the first of its kind in Tokyo, and it is significant in terms of catching signs of insufficient management,” a metropolitan official said.

While the structures, built in 1983 or prior to that, are in private ownership, the buildings are meant to play a role akin to public property as an emergency response center should a disaster strike.

It remains to be seen to what extent the metropolitan government will be involved in the issue.

The metropolitan government enacted an ordinance in 2019 obliging apartment management associations to report on their management.

The survey was conducted to cover about 12,000 apartment buildings with at least six units that were constructed in 1983 and before--prior to set rules for management associations.

Apartments missing even one of seven points the metropolitan government set to fend off poor management were deemed to be showing signs of insufficient management.

Among the points are whether they have management associations or managers, whether they pay into a fund for repairs and whether they pay management costs. 

Management associations for 9,436 apartment buildings were surveyed as of the end of December 2021--80 percent of the apartments in Tokyo built in 1983 and before.

Of these, 1,497 buildings, or 15.9 percent, were found to have potential management problems.

Following the findings, the metropolitan government has worked with local governments to visit the buildings and find out more. They also sent experts on apartment management at no charge. 

The central government has also acted. The Law on Advancement of Proper Condominium Management was enacted in June 2020, with administrative authorities expected to support apartments being properly managed.

To this end, two systems began in April.

One is issuing certificates for proper management plans. Under this system, local authorities certify management associations that meet 17-point standards set by the central and local governments.

Another is a system operated by the industry group Condominium Management Companies Association. It evaluates and rates the management situation with a perfect score of 100.

The system is expected to be reflected in the market value of the buildings.

However, the systems cannot be enforced.

“It is possible authorities can't catch problem apartments as many management associations that do not have a keen sense of the importance of proper management might not come forward to get evaluated,” said an official of a Tokyo association of apartment managers.

Poor management due to the apartments and their occupants aging is a growing social issue in Tokyo. 

The land ministry estimated apartments aged more than 40 years old will reach 4.04 million units in 2040, up from 1.03 million units in 2020.

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