Houses lie vacant, in decay as Japanese population ages

Tokyo: Taken over by weeds and on the verge of collapse, abandoned houses have become a common sight and have reached record numbers in Japan in recent years, turning into one of the most visible signs of the country’s demographic decline.

According to official data, the number of unoccupied houses, many of which are owned by untraceable or “ghost” owners, reached 8.46 million last year, accounting for 13.6 percent of total houses in the Japanese archipelago and double the number registered three decades ago, the Efe news reported.

The number of such single-family homes, which carry visible signs of desertion, is especially high in rural areas of the country, but some can be seen even in districts of the highly-populated Tokyo, which figures among the list of cities with the highest land prices, reaching up to 57 million yen ($5,20,000) per square meter.

The phenomenon is a direct consequence of the rapid aging of the Japanese population but is also linked to a law that makes it difficult to transfer and register properties, and the changing lifestyle of people. (IANS)

Also Read: How Nippon is Preparing Talent To Join Japanese Firms

Also Watch: Protest against CAA-2019 is on, Several protesters join AASU in Tinsukia