Hello, and welcome to Japanology Plus.
I'm Peter Barakan.

Japan's population is declining,

and one of the many issues related to
that is a huge number of vacant homes.

Something in the order
of 8-and-a-half million or so nationwide.

My image had been of isolated houses
in remote, rural villages.

But it turns out that the place
with the most empty homes is Tokyo.

And even in popular residential areas

it's becoming
an increasingly serious problem.

Today we'll look at
why there are so many vacant homes,

and what can be done about it.

And on the way,

we'll also learn something
about the Japanese attitude to housing.

Nakagawa-san, good morning.

Good morning.

Our guest, Nakagawa Hiroko, writes online
about housing and real estate.

She has been covering these themes
for over 30 years,

and also serves on a government committee
tackling the issue of vacant homes.

What exactly constitutes a “vacant home”?

A home that's been unoccupied for a year.

Utilities aren't being used.

Also, no maintenance is carried out,

which is a problem for the neighbors.

Those properties are designated
as “vacant homes,”

and are the target of initiatives
being carried out

by the central government
and local authorities.

For apartments, the main condition
is that no one lives there.

For at least one year?

Yes, that's right.

As of 2018,
Japan had about 62.4 million homes,

and around 8.5 million—13.6 percent
of the total—were classified as vacant.

In 2020,

OECD statistics indicated that Japan
had a higher percentage of vacant homes

than any other OECD member country.

Let's look at the situation in Tokyo,

with the help of Kuzuu Takaaki—
the owner of a real estate business.

I hear that there... the number
of vacant homes in Tokyo alone

is growing all the time.

Yes;

Tokyo has around 810,000 empty properties.

Wow.

An area of one hectare around here
contains more than ten.

Is that typical?

Yes.

It's the same all across central Tokyo.

We should probably go and see some.

Yes, let's go.

Here we are. These two.

That house?

Yes.

They're actually apartments.

The other property is just here.

- This one as well?
- Yes.

I see.

It was dual function, right?

Yes, there was a shop
on the ground floor.

Right, the awning looks like a shop,
doesn't it? Yeah.

And upstairs, there was an apartment.

In these buildings,
the two floors are often connected.

So the shop closes down,

and because the person who ran it
is still present, it can't be rented out.

So it never re-opens
and goes downhill fast.

By the time the whole building
becomes available again,

it's in poor shape.

So it stays unoccupied.

That's right.

How long have these properties
been in this state?

Around five years.

Roughly that.

As you can see,
the TV antenna has fallen over.

Oh right, yeah.

There's no one looking
after the buildings at all.

Here we are.

This must be the place.

It's over 60 years old.

The resident moved to a care facility
for the elderly.

It has been vacant for a long time.
A decade.

When that happens, it's extremely rare
for them to go home again.

But the house is always there for them.

Then over the years, it deteriorates.

That's very common.

Obviously these things are a real eyesore,

but do they pose problems
for the community as well?

They do, but the issues vary by location.

In cities...
we call it a negative externality.

There are clear negative effects
on residents.

A vacant property looks bad,

and that lowers the value
of the whole neighborhood.

That's a big point.

The garden gets out of control.
Pests can be a problem.

And there's a risk of fire or burglary.

In neighborhoods with narrow streets,
fire is an especially big risk.

And for those reasons,

people often ask the authorities
to do something about vacant homes.

That's true.

This whole neighborhood is like a maze.

This place is a little unusual.

It can't be reconstructed.

If it were demolished,
a new house could not be built.

Japan's Building Standards Law says
a house cannot be built

when less than two meters
of a property is in contact with a road

that is at least four meters wide.

But many houses were built
before this law came into effect.

They're common in older residential
districts of Japanese cities.

These properties are valued at
between a quarter and a third

of the price of other vacant homes.

You can't build anything new here.

So the laws have changed.

When these houses were built,

you could build, but now you can't.

That's right.

Let's go inside.

Oh, we're actually going in.

It doesn't look that bad at all.

It's only been vacant for a few years.

So it's still in good shape,

and wouldn't be difficult to rent or sell.

And once it's taken down,
nothing can be rebuilt to replace it?

No, but it is possible
to renovate the interior.

You could add earthquake-resistant
features and live here for a long time.

That would be cheaper than a new build.

Renovating old homes in that way

is one potential way
to address the challenge.

I guess the basic problem here is why
do these houses get to be in this state

where they just rot away,
and nobody buys or sells them?

To put it simply, Japan's population
is aging, and shrinking.

So it's just a matter of numbers.

You'll end up with more homes than people.

Lifestyles have changed too.

In the past, many women didn't work;
now they do.

People don't want a long commute,

so they move to cities,
leaving rural houses behind.

There have been big social changes.

There's also a preference for new builds.

Japanese tend to like new things.

I think that dates back to postwar times,

when a new house
represented a better life.

That idea persists.

Also, quite a lot of people don't consider
these homes to be vacant.

Think about fish, or vegetables.

Do nothing and they'll
start to look and smell bad.

The deterioration is clear.

But with houses, it's much less obvious,

even after five or ten years have passed.

So people just leave them untouched.

They don't feel a responsibility
to do anything.

The houses stay empty and unused.

Various initiatives
are being advanced across Japan

to deal with the many vacant properties.

The town of Kamiyama,
population 5,000,

is seen as something of a rural miracle.

Empty properties here have been used
in creative ways to tackle depopulation.

It started over 20 years ago,

with an annual
artists-in-residence initiative.

Some of the art produced is displayed
in unused buildings.

Later, stylish businesses
with a local focus began to open.

The availability of high-speed internet

prompted a Tokyo IT firm
to set up an office in a vacant home.

To add momentum and appeal to families,

the town government later
made all school lunches free.

The town now has 15 such companies,

and in 2020 a record 40 people moved in.

The population actually increased.

Behind the scenes,
town officials are working hard.

Here, they're preparing a vacant house
for new residents.

The owner did a lot of work beforehand.

This is less to dispose of than
in some other places.

Even if someone wants to move out,

dealing with household goods
can be a headache.

Handling that task for them
gets housing smoothly on the market.

The unneeded items are taken
to a local recycling center.

There, anything usable
is offered free of charge

to people moving into the community.

Look at this. This pipe.

It's used to catch eels.

That mirror has wheels.

Yes! I like it! Thanks very much.

The initiative also gives new arrivals
a chance to chat.

Recently, a technical college
opened in Kamiyama.

Students here learn design and technology.

A former school building is used
as accommodation.

The creative use of vacant properties

is enticing more and more people
to move to Kamiyama.

Let's see another recent initiative.

In this case,

vacant homes are offered to people

who would otherwise be regarded
as risky tenants.

This was the idea of Matsumoto Tomoyuki,

the owner of a housing support company.

Today, he's visiting

an old apartment complex
not far from the city of Osaka.

He bought an apartment here
for 1.4 million yen.

The plan is to keep renovation
to a minimum,

and then to rent out the refurbished
apartment as cheaply as possible.

Will you redo the plumbing?

No.

I'm hoping that it won't
be necessary to go that far.

That's what I'm checking.

The initiative began a few years ago

and the company now
owns around 120 properties—

mainly in western Japan.

But they can't keep up with demand.

Would I be comfortable?

That's how I judge it.

And I could definitely live in this place.

Many tenants were shunned
by other real estate agents.

A low income worked against some.

Or the idea of an elderly person
living alone raised fears

that they would die alone
and no one would notice.

Matsumoto's initiative has been widely
praised for addressing a social issue

while also managing
to remain commercially viable.

Looking ahead,
he's hoping to raise more funds

so that he can expand the program
to other parts of Japan.

I think that entrepreneurial ventures can
use private money and surplus housing

to become a catalyst
for positive change in Japan.

Matsumoto's clients
now include local governments.

They arrange consultations for people
struggling to secure accommodation.

In many cases, the local authorities
can only provide temporary housing.

Long-term solutions
can be difficult to identify,

because of legal and financial issues.

Yawata City, in Kyoto Prefecture,
contacted Matsumoto about a resident

who had to leave the place where
she is currently living in a month's time.

Previously, her father's
pension covered the rent.

But then her father died,

and now she is unable
to afford the monthly payments.

She does receive welfare payments,

but her circumstances mean
that she will have to leave the house

where she has lived for 50 years.

Matsumoto took her to see a property

that isn't too far away from the place
where she has been living.

And the rent is only 40,000 yen a month.

The tatami smells wonderful.

She would pay 10,000 yen less
than she does now.

They've been very kind. I'm very grateful.

We're not in it for the money.

We operate on very tight margins.

And we can't charge high rents.

We have to function
under those constraints.

Business is a constant battle,
but Matsumoto is making progress.

Several investors have contacted him
looking to support what he's doing.

So far, 19 people have invested a total
of 35.5 million yen.

That enabled him
to purchase 11 properties.

Tenants moved in,
and were able to start a new life.

Next,

we're going to visit
a shopping street in Tokyo.

Shops here closed down,

and the number
of vacant properties was increasing.

But since 2019,
some have been put to good use.

This initiative is run by Chiba Keisuke,
who works in real estate.

Can you give us some examples of things
that you've done with empty houses?

We arranged for several new businesses
to come here

and then open at the same time,
all close to each other.

Let's see a new business
that opened in a vacant property.

It's a restaurant.

This used to be a greengrocer's shop.

It has raised tatami seating.

That makes it easier for parents
with young children

to let the kids run around.

Or they can relax
and enjoy meals together.

This is a chain
with several eateries in Osaka.

It's currently closed for renovations,
but it is in business.

Here's another example.

It's a shop that sells pottery.

Sorry to bother you.

Hello.

It's nice in here.

It is.

I'm one of two regular staff members.

We make pottery together,
and sell it directly to customers.

The owner lives upstairs.

This was the garage,

but they were only using it
for a few hours a week.

Why did you choose this location?

There's a bathhouse right outside.

When working with pottery,
you get covered in dust.

So a bath feels very refreshing!

When I'm here in the shop,
local people are really kind.

I'm new to the area,
but they're so supportive.

This is such a great place.

If just one shop opened in this street,
they'd find it hard to keep going.

And so we arranged for five businesses
to open at the same time.

That way, the local residents notice
that something exciting is going on.

They might visit the new
shops and restaurants.

The people running the businesses
can connect with their customers.

That becomes easier too.

And it's only because
there are vacant properties

that we've been able to do this.

This place is unusual.

Tempura that's takeaway only.

Have you been here a long time?

Yes, since my father's time.

Has the area changed?

It certainly has!

Before, there wasn't anyone here
in their twenties and thirties.

Now there are.

It's fantastic.

Makes me feel younger!

Thank you.

Thanks very much.

The shopping street
is enjoying some fresh vitality.

Here's the bathhouse we heard about.

Oh, a bathhouse. OK.

Yes.

So you're actually the proprietor
of this bathhouse?

I am. I run the business.

So your family has been running this
for how long now?

Around 70 years.

Ever since my grandfather's day.

How much has the neighborhood changed?

I played around here
when I was a little boy.

I'd go to the family bathhouse,

and the streets would be so packed
that it was hard to walk.

All of these places were shops.

Gradually, they were turned into homes.

I found that very sad.

But seeing these new shops
is really encouraging.

For me personally,

and for other people living in this area.

It's also surprising for us.

We were used to seeing shops closing.

But now they're opening!

A lot of people have told me
how surprised they were about that.

The project has growing support.

Gradually,

more businesses are choosing to renovate
a vacant property, and move in.

Another initiative

approaches the challenge
of vacant homes from a different angle.

We've seen examples of

how vacant homes can be used
for regional and social change.

Another approach is to take steps

so that homes do not become
vacant in the first place.

There are various ways to achieve that,

but here's a recent example.

It involves elderly people living alone.

Young students move in,
and live with them.

That way, an elderly person
will feel less isolated.

When living alone, if they fall ill
there's a greater danger they'll die.

Or maybe they need to move
to a care facility.

Neighbors might not know what's happened.

They just know the house is empty.

But if a young person moves in,

that won't tend to happen.

Information about their condition
is more likely to be shared.

This is quite a recent initiative.

An apartment complex in Tokyo.

Asami Shigeharu has been living here
for over two decades.

Five years ago, his wife died,
and since then he's been living alone.

Mealtimes are especially lonely.

He has no one to talk to.

Making dinner by myself
barely feels worth it.

There's no one to speak with.

It's awful.

Asami has been introduced
to Mihara Naoto, a student from Osaka.

Mihara was renting an apartment
but will now move in with Asami.

This home share program,
operated by a non-profit organization,

matches elderly people
who have spare rooms

with students who want to
keep living expenses down.

The NPO conducts interviews
with applicants

and, based on conditions
and compatibility, identifies a match.

Students can live centrally
for a low rent,

and elderly people can avoid living alone.

Mihara pays 30,000 yen per month for rent,

dinner each day, and minor expenses.

Previously, he spent at least 100,000 yen.

Thanks to that big monthly saving,

he's now starting to think
about studying abroad one day.

As for Asami,

having someone to talk to at dinner time
has put a spring in his step.

Today's meal is a dish from
his home area, Aichi Prefecture:

a miso meat stew
with udon noodles.

It's good! Really good.

You like it?

The food is delicious.

And Asami-san
and I are getting on really well.

I'm glad I took part
in this home share program.

It feels like
I'm the one looking after him.

I'm really enjoying it.

Participants in the program get
together several times a year.

They swap stories,
and get to know each other better.

The initiative is run by Ishibashi Fusako,

who saw something similar
on a trip to Spain,

and decided to try it in Japan.

Living with students
improves the health of elderly people,

and allows them to keep being at home.

When you think about it,

it's not really a solution
to vacant homes.

It's more of a preventative measure.

It prevents the appearance
of vacant homes in the first place.

20 matches have been established so far,

and the idea is beginning
to spread across Japan.

As we've seen,

the number of vacant homes
isn't really going down very much.

What do you think can be done
to help lower that number?

Well, as a fan of real estate in general,

I personally think we should reconsider
the value of our homes.

We should treat our homes with more care.

It's said that a home is the most
expensive thing a person will ever buy.

But then we might do nothing
with that home for 20 to 30 years.

The second most expensive thing
a person will buy might be a car.

Can you imagine not washing
a car for 20 years?

People might wash their car once a week,
or once a month,

but do nothing for their home
for 20 years.

Or even 30 years.

So the properties deteriorate
in condition and value.

If we can change how people think,

it may help to keep down the number
of vacant homes.

Obviously it is a very complex problem.

It's not going to go away overnight.

It seems to me from all we've seen today

that it's a question
of community building.

Maybe one house at a time.

And why not?

That seems a good way
to tackle the problem,

or at least to start tackling the problem.

Thank you very much.

My pleasure.