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A Nation of 9 Million Vacant Houses
How Japan’s “new house supremacy” led to a problem— and a chance to rebuild
I love driving — especially out of Tokyo, where the city noise fades into the calm of the countryside. But one day, that calm felt a bit eerie. Too quiet. There were houses, but no people in sight. That quiet wasn’t just peaceful — it might’ve been the sound of a growing problem: Japan’s vacant houses.
In this article, I’ll explore why Japan has so many vacant houses, the cultural roots behind it, and how this growing issue might turn into an opportunity for change.
What is a Vacant House?
In Japan, a vacant house (aki-ya) is officially defined as a property that hasn’t been lived in or had its utilities — electricity, gas, or water — used for at least a year.
This stands in stark contrast to Tokyo, where rents are soaring. However, the real issue lies in rural areas, where the problem is growing more serious. According to a 2023 survey by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, vacant houses now account for a record 13.8% of all residential properties in Japan. That’s about 9 million empty houses. Compared to other countries, Japan’s ratio of vacant houses is truly staggering, as shown in the graph below.
