The Housing Starts figure reflects the rate of growth in housing construction. The number of housing starts is an indicator of the strength Japan 's construction sector and a leading indicator for the direction of the economy as a whole. Housing Starts respond quickly to changes in the business cycle, promptly slowing at the onset of a recession and growing at the beginning of an economic boom. A high Housing Starts figure is generally bullish for the economy, as it indicates overall economic growth.

The headline figures are the year on year percentage change in value of housing starts, and the value of all houses started for construction that year.

Relevance :Rarely affects markets
Release schedule : 5:00 (GMT); monthly, on the last day of the following month.
Revisions schedule : Little or no revisions.
Source of report : Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport ( Japan )
Web Address : http://www.mlit.go.jp/english/
Address of release : http://www.mlit.go.jp/toukeijouhou/chojou/stat-e.htm
AKA: Annualized Housing Starts