I'd expect that's a big part of it! The particular article I linked to points out that (creating the need for a lot more houses to get built). Also there's a sh

I'd expect that's a big part of it! The particular article I linked to points out that (creating the need for a lot more houses to get built). Also there's a shortage of skilled craftsmen in part due to the aging population, coupled with a mature robotics industry. Other costs like permitting is way way cheaper and quicker in Japan than the USA (like other posters have mentioned, building in a city like SF can take decades and millions just to get past that hurdle, and people can stop your project by saying that they don't like how it looks - which is an invalid complaint here), so the overall cost of building a home shifts toward the actual cost of the home and land, not legal fees.