Japan has asked UK firms to help meet a shortfall on a 72,000-unit emergency housing scheme for survivors who lost their homes in the devastating earthquake and tsunami.
The government will buy the dwellings on commercial terms with an indicative price of around £37,000 per unit.
Suppliers will have to enter into a partnership with a Japanese firm in order to qualify for the work and must have the capacity to deliver at least 100 units each and maintain the homes for two years.
Qualifying parties will also be expected to provide the energy infrastructure to power the dwellings.
Contractors in Japan have capacity to deliver about 60,000 units, but the Japanese government has appealed to a number of countries to deliver the additional 12,000 prefabricated homes required.
Up to 160,000 people are living in temporary shelters including sports facilities and schools since the earthquake struck. From Building Magazine.