It’s Too Easy for Foreigners to Buy Up Japan: Gearoid Reidy

A cottage industry has spun up in Japan in the last few years offering abandoned houses, known as akiya, to foreigners.

Many countries have stock of underused housing, though Japan is certainly one of the worst offenders. Since the post-pandemic reopening, there’s been a surge of interest in akiya among those priced out of their markets at home. Buyer beware: Living in poorly insulated, socially isolated dwellings in the countryside can often be less My Neighbor Totoro and more torturous.

But the boom has highlighted how easy it is for those outside to buy property here. Indeed, the lack of ...