What are akiya?

Akiya (空き家) means “abandoned or empty houses” that can be found in both rural and urban areas. The Vacant Houses Special Measures Act defines akiya as “any types of buildings which have not been utilized for residential use and others throughout the year.” While most people would assume all the akiya to be abandoned houses, what should be noted is that akiya can be categorized into four groups: (1) empty houses for sale, (2) empty houses for lease, (3) secondary residences like holiday houses and (4) others including long-vacant houses and houses planned to be demolished. The akiya which will be covered in this article are the fourth type: abandoned houses.

Numerous reasons why houses are becoming akiya

While real estate agents manage houses and try to find residents for them, they have given up on finding new owners for some houses. These houses, no longer managed by the agents, attract nobody to move into them, and become akiya. According to the Ministry of the Internal Affairs and Communications, the number of akiya has doubled in 20 years as of 2018, and it accounts for 13.4% of all the houses in Japan. Besides the shrinking population in Japan, an increase in property taxes, a hesitation to sell beloved houses and a preference for new houses among Japanese people might be the causes for a rapid increase of akiya.

Increase in the number of akiya became an issue

Akiya bring various societal problems although they may seem harmless. They have a deleterious effect on neighborhoods by attracting not only vermin but also illegal settlement and criminal activities. Also, they present a risk of collapse by natural disasters and can inflict serious damage to a neighborhood. Furthermore, there is much economic loss for leaving vacant houses unused.

Companies trying to turn problems into opportunities

In order to tackle the issue, companies have started to address akiya from various perspectives besides government interventions. Solar Crew is an organization aiming at remodeling akiya to be co-working and community spaces for daily use, and shelter in times of disaster. Solar Crew offers DIY experience, knowledge of community design and, most importantly, connection with local communities. Akiya Gateway offers an interesting service that connects people who want to sell and buy properties. They also contribute to revitalizing rural areas by introducing towns where the properties are located on their website.

Although akiya represent and cause various societal issues, they hold boundless possibilities. Akiya, beloved and then abandoned, can become places for local communities, giving shelter to people in need, creating businesses and offering places for making dreams come true.