{"id":357,"date":"2021-06-11T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-11T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/userblogs.fu-berlin.de\/urban-rural-migration-japan\/?p=357"},"modified":"2023-02-06T09:42:59","modified_gmt":"2023-02-06T08:42:59","slug":"guest-contribution-vacant-houses-in-rural-japan-from-empty-space-to-potential-places-for-newcomers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/userblogs.fu-berlin.de\/urban-rural-migration-japan\/2021\/06\/11\/guest-contribution-vacant-houses-in-rural-japan-from-empty-space-to-potential-places-for-newcomers\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest contribution: Vacant houses in rural Japan: From empty space to potential places for newcomers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Jyoti Vasnani<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vacant houses, or\u00a0akiya<\/em>, are one of the ways that Japan\u2019s shrinking population has become visible in its landscape. This is especially so in rural areas, and this visibly empty space highlights the need for revitalisation in rural Japan.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Akiya\u00a0<\/em>have been increasing across Japan\u00a0over the years.\u00a0Although the term \u201cakiya\u201d<\/em>\u00a0encompasses\u00a0vacant buildings such as homes for sale or rent, it is\u00a0akiya\u00a0<\/em>which have been essentially abandoned altogether that are a point of concern for both policymakers and citizens.\u00a0Often,\u00a0homes become vacant\u00a0due to the death of the owner.\u00a0If there is no one indicated clearly as an inheritor, or if the inheritor lives elsewhere and fails to maintain the building (due to the distance, expense, or lack of interest, for example), the home falls into disrepair\u00a0and becomes a problem for the community.\u00a0This is common in rural areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such unmaintained\u00a0akiya\u00a0<\/em>can be a liability to the municipalities they are in, due to the financial\u00a0costs\u00a0and\u00a0impact on third parties (such as the residents in the\u00a0neighbourhood)\u00a0of having a precarious house in the area. Not only are they dangerous and a potential spot for pests, they also may affect the scenery, which can\u00a0deter people from moving\u00a0in to\u00a0the\u00a0neighbourhood.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Abandoned, collapsed home in Misumi, Uki-shi<\/em><\/strong>
Copyright \u00a9 Jyoti Vasnani 2018<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Most municipalities, from small villages in Kyushu to the wards of Tokyo,\u00a0have schemes to help mitigate the rise of\u00a0akiya<\/em>. This includes financial support for renovating and selling\u00a0the structures,\u00a0as well as the maintenance of so-called \u201cakiya\u00a0<\/em>banks,\u201d\u00a0or\u00a0databases of vacant houses. Some communities, however, have also begun to think of community-related solutions to the\u00a0akiya\u00a0<\/em>\u2018problem\u2019. For example, in Yoshino, Nara, the\u00a0akiya\u00a0<\/em>bank\u00a0works with\u00a0the\u00a0\u201cLive in Yoshino\u201d project (sunde\u00a0yoshino\u00a0jigy\u014d),\u00a0<\/em>which promotes migration to Yoshino*. It also works in conjunction with a resident group that runs a guesthouse that provides \u201ctrial living\u201d to people interested in moving to\u00a0Yoshino.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this manner, rural municipalities convert a problem:\u00a0the increasing number of vacant houses,\u00a0into a solution for another\u00a0problem:\u00a0attracting newcomers as a countermeasure to depopulation.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take, for example, Amakusa City,\u00a0a remote municipality on the western edge of\u00a0Kumamoto,\u00a0which was formed by the amalgamation of\u00a0the city of Hondo and a\u00a0number of\u00a0small fishing villages\u00a0in 2006. It\u00a0currently has a\u00a0population of 78,820 [1], and is best known for\u00a0Sakitsu, a picturesque hamlet\u00a0designated a UNESCO World Heritage site\u00a0in\u00a02018\u00a0along with other sites of Japan\u2019s Hidden Christians in\u00a0Nagasaki,\u00a0and\u00a0which attracts\u00a0tourists.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amakusa City hosts\u00a0a website devoted\u00a0to\u00a0attracting\u00a0new residents [2].\u00a0In fact, it\u00a0is one of the more robust local government-led websites\u00a0that\u00a0can be found on local efforts to use\u00a0akiya\u00a0<\/em>to attract new\u00a0community\u00a0members.\u00a0The website\u2019s\u00a0akiya\u00a0<\/em>bank\u00a0lists\u00a0available properties (not limited to residences),\u00a0and it features\u00a0successful stories of people who have moved to Amakusa, some of whom have started businesses using vacant shops.\u00a0Such efforts help\u00a0relieve\u00a0the worries of potential residents who may not know what to expect from the rural lifestyle. All of these are part of the efforts that Amakusa is taking to encourage people to permanently migrate to their city. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n