Mission Statement of the Center for Urban and Real Estate Studies (CURES), Hitotsubashi University
In recent years, changes in urban structures and trends in real estate markets have had an increasingly significant impact on both the economy and the broader social fabric. In Japan, structural challenges such as population aging and decline are intensifying, while on a global scale, we are witnessing accelerated urbanization, mounting environmental constraints, shifts in lifestyles, and rapid advances in digital technologies. These developments are drastically transforming the landscape surrounding cities and real estate.
To respond effectively to these changes and to build sustainable and inclusive urban societies, interdisciplinary research that integrates business, economics, law, sociology, and—more recently—data science and AI is essential. Such research must go beyond theoretical exploration to generate actionable insights that contribute to sound policy formulation and effective market design.
Against this backdrop, Hitotsubashi University has established the Center for Urban and Real Estate Studies (CURES) to address the growing academic and societal demands surrounding urban and real estate issues. The center aims to become a leading hub in Japan and a globally recognized research institute in this field.
Strengthening Global Collaboration
CURES is founded on the principle of advancing international collaboration with the world’s leading institutions in urban and real estate studies. We are building on our existing ties with centers such as the MIT Center for Real Estate (USA), the Department of Land Economy at the University of Cambridge (UK), the Cities Programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science (UK), the Real Estate Research Center at Tsinghua University (China), and the Institute of Real Estate and Urban Studies (IREUS) at the National University of Singapore (Singapore), all of which have played pioneering roles in shaping the global urban and real estate research landscape.
Through the establishment of CURES, Hitotsubashi University will further promote joint research projects and academic exchange. Specific areas of collaboration include global urban indicators, real estate price indices, urban policy evaluation, integrated spatial data analysis, and institutional comparisons of housing markets. International symposia and workshops will be organized to facilitate intellectual exchange and disseminate research findings globally.
The Role of CURES in Japan
In Japan, research on urban and real estate issues has not been systematically institutionalized, and there are relatively few academic centers dedicated to these topics. As a premier institution in the social sciences, Hitotsubashi University is uniquely positioned to serve as a core academic hub by leveraging its expertise in economics, policy studies, statistics, and legal analysis, while incorporating cutting-edge data-driven methods.
Core Activities of the Center
CURES will pursue its mission through the following three pillars:
- Advanced Academic Research
The center will engage in both empirical and theoretical research on diverse and complex issues such as urban structure and land use, real estate price formation, housing policies and income inequality, and the interaction between commercial areas and regional economies. Using tools such as AI, big data, geographic information systems (GIS), and advanced statistical techniques, we aim to produce research with strong policy implications. - Policy Engagement and Evidence-Based Policymaking
CURES will collaborate with government ministries (e.g., the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Cabinet Office), local governments, and international organizations (e.g., the OECD, IMF, and the United Nations) to support evidence-based policymaking (EBPM). Our focus areas include the development of real estate price indices, strategies to address vacant housing, urban sustainability assessments, and smart city initiatives. - Education and Talent Development
The center will provide internationally competitive education and research supervision for graduate students and early-career scholars interested in urban and real estate studies. Through partnerships with the private and public sectors, we will foster the next generation of researchers and professionals equipped with both academic knowledge and practical expertise. In the future, CURES also envisions launching a specialized training program to cultivate experts who can bridge multiple disciplines in urban and real estate analysis.
CURES will host international conferences and workshops on a regular basis, bringing together researchers and policymakers from around the world to Hitotsubashi University. We will work closely with domestic and international universities, research institutes, government agencies, and corporations to establish a global hub for urban and real estate knowledge creation. Located in Tokyo—one of the world’s foremost global cities—our center is ideally positioned to serve as a regional hub for urban and real estate research in Asia.
CURES aspires to serve as a platform for knowledge integration, bridging the challenges faced by Japanese society with those shared globally. By connecting theory and practice, domestic and international perspectives, and academic research with policy and business, the Center seeks to contribute to the creation of a sustainable and inclusive future for cities and real estate markets.