TOKYO -- Alarmed by the vacant houses that are multiplying across Japan as the population shrinks, the government is considering heavier property taxes on those that are unkempt.
Society
Japan proposes tightening rules against abandoned houses
Owners risk paying six times more in property taxes if they let homes rot
Somewhere in Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan. The nation's empty house problem is particularly noticeable in rapidly depopulating rural areas. (Photo courtesy of Katitas)
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