The data leave little room for interpretation. The Government of Japan recently released a survey showing that there are approximately nine million empty, unused homes, known as “akiya”, in the country. There are many, many; But most of all, they mark a new high point in the housing vacancy charts that Japanese authorities have been planning for decades. Their numbers have doubled in the last 30 years, and the latest report shows that in the autumn the number was 510,000 more than in 2018, when the previous census was conducted.

This drift transforms: akiya in a level one challenge.

What’s going on? akiya? Empty houses. The label is specific to Japan; phenomenon, not so much. According to data collected by INE in January 2021, we have more than three million empty homes in Spain. The problem is that in Japan such disused constructions are growing to such a level that they have settled to such a size and more. All of this has reached such heights that it has become a relatively frequent topic in the media, making it necessary to put measures in place to stop this trend. A clear example of this is Akiya banks, which organize at the local level and try to save, renovate and sell empty houses.

Nine million homes (and counting). There are many houses in Japan akiya It’s nothing new. For years the country has been aware of their number and their enormous weight in the residential park. The problem is that every new statistic published on the subject confirms that the problem is far from solved. This was confirmed by Japanese authorities, who released the latest updated census of vacant homes in Japan at the end of last month.

According to their calculations, about nine million people live in the entire country. akiya. The figure is surprising for several reasons. The most important and obvious one is that 13.8% of homes in Japan are too many. To give us an idea, assuming three people could live in each of these houses, it would be enough to house almost the entire population of Australia. The Nomura Institute has produced its own calculations and estimates that there are actually almost 11 million people. akiya and said they could represent more than 30% within a decade.

Double that in the 80’s. The second reason why the figure is ringing alarm bells and making headlines both inside and outside Japan is the trend it shows. Nine million homes is a lot of homes, but they are also many more than in 2018, the year of the previous census. There were approximately 8.49 million houses in Japan, i.e. housing stock akiyas An increase of 510,000 properties in just five years.

Asashi He notes that the number of vacant homes has increased since 1973 and has doubled in just three decades. In some parts of the country, such as Wakayama and Tokushima, the unemployment rate reaches 21.2%.

From homes to risks. Data from Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs also allows us to take a look at the situation of these vacant buildings: just over half of the approximately nine million, or 4.76, are rented or for sale, and another 380,000 are for sale. It refers to holiday residences or structures offered for seasonal or occasional use.

Outside these categories, there are millions of vacant and abandoned homes that pose a challenge to authorities. This is because they can collapse, at least in some cases, and they also run the risk of becoming a landfill or a source of fire. Newspaper Asashi He explains that the number of abandoned homes without any provision for use, the type of property that represents the biggest challenge, has increased significantly in the last five years: the latest survey shows there are 370,000 more than in the previous census in 2018. The stock of these houses reached 3.85 million.

Shadow of demographics. To understand this phenomenon akiya Many factors need to be managed, but among them there is one that is particularly important: Japan’s demographic crisis. The country is losing population. And it also gets old.

Both trends explain to authorities why the number of vacant and abandoned homes is increasing. Properties become vacant after tenants die or pack up their belongings to move into a property. There are estimates that say about 53 million people will live in Japan by the end of this century; this figure will be less than half of 2017’s 128 million.

The question of culture and costs. But there are more factors at play. The reasons for a more cultural, social and even economic order help to understand the population “explosion”. akiya. For example, generational change and the family model come into play; The Japanese prefer newly built homes to used homes; a beautiful part of the houses akiya It was built before the changes to the Building Standards Act in 1981; This may lead new users to have doubts about inherent security; He stated that it was difficult to locate the heirs or that they could not reach an agreement among themselves after they were located.

Remodeling or demolishing an old building is also not cheap. Guardian It is also noted that vacant lots carry a set of fees that make it difficult for families to demolish their old properties. In some cases, it may even cause heirs to refuse to accept old buildings and the costs they bring.

Rural population decline. Another important point is that a significant portion of these houses are in rural areas or in the suburbs of cities. “The population outside Tokyo is declining rapidly, especially in areas such as Tohoku and Hokkaido, and elderly people are leaving their homes,” said Seth Sulkin of real estate developer Pacifica Capital KK. said. South China Morning Post. “It is also very difficult to recycle these properties due to the inheritance and title systems.”

In a town or neighborhood akiya It doesn’t help to turn things around either: The presence of vacant houses in the neighborhood of a strange haddock biting its tail deters potential buyers. “People don’t want to live in a terminal village surrounded by ‘ghost houses,'” says Chris McMorran, an expert in Japanese studies and a professor at the National University of Singapore.

From authorities and strangers. The problem of empty houses is so serious that the Government has taken action and implemented measures to stop the abandonment of houses or, if necessary, to encourage their rehabilitation or sale. It has the financial resources to achieve this.

Another thing happening in the country is that foreigners want to buy property in Japan at a good price. Purpose: cheap accommodation in a country experiencing a real tourism “boom”, owning a house for vacation or renting it to travelers. In March, Japan broke its own monthly record for influx of visitors: three million.

Pictures | Bethom33 (Flickr) and Boccaccio1 (Flickr)

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