Approximately 50% Prioritized Earthquake Resistance When Purchasing/Building a Home; About 66% Changed Their Awareness of Earthquake Resistance After Major Earthquakes

■ Rising awareness of housing earthquake resistance due to successive major earthquakes, but challenges in recognition of "seismic grade"

In recent years, major earthquakes have occurred in various regions, including the Noto Peninsula earthquake.

For those living in detached houses, the seismic performance of their homes is no longer a negligible issue.

However, the term "seismic grade," which represents a house's strength against earthquakes, does not seem to be widely known.

How much did people who actually purchased or built a house prioritize seismic performance?

Therefore, in collaboration with Nippon Juken Co., Ltd., a custom-built home builder in Anjo City, Aichi Prefecture, we conducted a survey on "earthquake preparedness and housing seismic performance" targeting 300 men and women nationwide who responded in a preliminary survey that they "currently live in an owned detached house."

*When quoting the content of this press release, please comply with the following:

・State that the source is "a survey by NEXER Co., Ltd. and Nippon Juken Co., Ltd., a custom-built home builder in Anjo City, Aichi Prefecture."

・Provide a link to Nippon Juken Co., Ltd. (https://www.nipponjuken.co.jp/) in Anjo City, Aichi Prefecture.

"Survey on Earthquake Preparedness and Housing Seismic Performance" Overview

Survey method: Internet questionnaire

Survey period: April 17, 2026 - April 24, 2026

Target respondents: Men and women nationwide who responded in a preliminary survey that they "currently live in an owned detached house."

Valid responses: 300 samples

Questions:

Question 1: To what extent did you prioritize seismic performance when purchasing or building a home?

Question 2: Please tell us the reason.

Question 3: Are you familiar with the term "seismic grade"?

Question 4: Do you know your home's seismic grade?

Question 5: Has your awareness of housing earthquake resistance changed due to recent major earthquakes?

Question 6: How has it changed? (Multiple answers allowed)

*As a general rule, figures are rounded to the first decimal place, so the total may not always be 100%.

■ 50.0% responded that they "prioritized" seismic performance when purchasing or building a home.

First, we asked about the extent to which seismic performance was prioritized when purchasing or building a home.

As a result, 16.3% answered "highly prioritized" and 33.7% answered "somewhat prioritized," totaling 50.0% who prioritized seismic performance. On the other hand, 28.0% answered "did not prioritize much" and 22.0% answered "did not prioritize at all," indicating that half of the respondents did not pay much attention to seismic performance when purchasing or building.

We asked for reasons for each answer, and here are some of them:

Reasons for prioritizing seismic performance:

・Because I live in a region where the Nankai Trough earthquake is expected. (30s, female)

・I believe a strong house against earthquakes is necessary because large earthquakes will definitely occur in the future. (40s, male)

・Because I don't know when the Nankai Trough earthquake will come. (30s, male)

・To reduce the risk of collapse due to disaster. (30s, male)

・Because I experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake. (40s, male)

Reasons for not prioritizing seismic performance:

・Because it was before the Great East Japan Earthquake. (40s, male)

・At that time, insulation and cost were more emphasized than that. (40s, male)

・I looked for a ready-built house with a low price. (30s, male)

・It was a house built by my parents, and I don't think earthquake resistance was known at that time. (40s, female)

・At that time, earthquakes were not given much importance. (40s, male)

From the reasons for prioritizing, voices wanting to prepare based on Japan's current situation as an earthquake-prone country and past disaster experiences stood out. In particular, many responses considered future disasters such as the Nankai Trough earthquake.

Reasons for not prioritizing included that the house was built a long time ago when seismic performance was not widely known, or that there was no choice when selecting a ready-built or used house.

■ 56.7% responded that they "do not know" the term "seismic grade."

Next, we asked if they were familiar with the term "seismic grade."

"Seismic grade" is one of the indicators representing a house's strength against earthquakes, evaluated in three levels from 1 to 3.

As a result, 43.3% answered "know" and 56.7% answered "do not know."

It became clear that more than half of the respondents are not familiar with "seismic grade," which is an important indicator for judging earthquake resistance.

Housing seismic performance is one of the factors that are difficult to change significantly after purchase.

Despite this, the results show that the term itself, which serves as a judgment criterion, is not widely disseminated.

■ 73.1% of those who knew the term "seismic grade" responded that they "do not know" their home's seismic grade.

Next, among those who knew the term "seismic grade," we asked if they knew their home's seismic grade.