Half of Detached Homeowners Feel Anxious About Seismic Safety, High Interest in Disaster Preparedness

Survey on Seismic and Housing Performance Anxiety Among 300 Detached Homeowners

Hardly a month goes by without news of earthquakes or typhoons. Consequently, many people may have felt an sudden pang of anxiety about the safety of their own homes. Yet, when asked how much importance was placed on seismic resistance when building or purchasing a house, many struggle to answer. What anxieties do current detached homeowners hold about their seismic performance, and what are their honest opinions?

株式会社NEXER and 株式会社イセキヤ工務店 conducted a survey of 300 men and women across Japan who identified as living in an owned detached home.

【Survey Overview】 ・Method: Internet survey ・Period: May 22–28, 2026 ・Respondents: Men and women across Japan living in owned detached houses ・Valid responses: 300 samples

47.3% have felt 'anxious' about seismic performance Results show that 47.3% of respondents have felt some degree of anxiety about their home's seismic performance (10.3% 'often', 37.0% 'sometimes').

The most frequent trigger for this anxiety was 'experiencing a large earthquake' (59.2%), followed by 'seeing news about disasters' (49.3%), 'becoming concerned about the building's age' (39.4%), and 'finding cracks or damage' (24.6%).

Awareness of Seismic Grades and Priority During Purchase Only 6.3% of respondents understood the specific standards of 'Seismic Grades,' while 32.3% admitted to not knowing the term at all.

Furthermore, 61.3% of respondents stated they did not prioritize seismic resistance when building or purchasing their home. This indicates that many who had little awareness at the time of purchase become anxious after living in the home.

64.6% interested in disaster preparedness beyond earthquakes Finally, when asked about interest in preparing for natural disasters other than earthquakes (typhoons, heavy rain, floods, landslides, etc.), 64.6% expressed interest. This reveals that homeowners are mindful of a broad range of risks surrounding their living environments, not just earthquakes.