It is difficult to estimate the extent of the demographic problems facing Japan.
After all, the main urban centers of Tokyo and Osaka are becoming increasingly crowded. Tourists have returned to current levels and are exceeding pre-COVID-19 levels, in some cases prompting restrictions on the number of visitors to popular sites. They even venture off the beaten path to less visited locations. The country feels full.
Yet Japan faces increasingly dire demographic conditions, an evolution that manifests itself in sometimes surprising ways. A telling indicator is the growing number of abandoned properties, much of which – but not exclusively – is in rural areas. This vacant, sometimes unclaimed property is a danger to neighbors and a drag on local economies. At the same time, it is an opportunity for entrepreneurs and creative city administrators.