Abandoned houses in Japan face a visit from the taxman

Kobe, Kyoto and other cities try new approach to fighting urban blight

An abandoned home in Kobe. Over 8 million homes in Japan are empty, a number expected to rise as the country's population shrinks. (Photo courtesy of Kobe city government)

SEIJI KOJIMA and YUKI MURAKAMI, Nikkei staff writers

February 12, 2022 07:00 JST

KOBE, Japan/KYOTO -- With over 8 million Japanese homes standing empty, some cities have begun to turn up the tax pressure on owners to combat urban blight.