In that sense, not all is lost for Akiya. In many cases these Akiya are sold for cheap, causing people to flock from abroad and buy the houses to turn them into cafes, hotels, or even family homes.

Municipalities across Japan can tackle the blight of "akiya" abandoned vacant homes under a revised law that took effect on Dec. 13 aimed at penalizing neglectful property owners. Under the ...

The property became available under the Uozu city government’s “100-yen Akiya Bank” program, which was started this fiscal year to encourage sales of “akiya” abandoned homes by setting ...