Japan is currently seeing a rise in both vacant homes and abandoned farmland. This article explores ways to repurpose these properties by considering the similarities between the two issues. According to the 2023 Housing and Land Survey, the total number of vacant homes nationwide stands at 9 million. There is a particularly strong desire in urban areas to put these vacant properties to effective use. Notably, projections indicate that by 2043, the number of ” vacant homes” (a category excluding homes for sale, rent, or secondary use) will increase 1.7-fold to 360,000 in Tokyo and 1.9-fold to 430,000 in Osaka Prefecture. Amidst this situation, some urban municipalities have begun moving toward the introduction of a “vacant home tax.” In 2022, Kyoto City submitted a draft ordinance—the first of its kind in Japan—to its city council, that it was subsequently passed. Kyoto City secured the necessary consent from the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications for this pioneering vacant home tax ordinance in 2023. The tax aims to encourage the circulation of vacant homes by increasing the financial burden on their owners.
The rise in abandoned farmland presents a situation similar to the increase in vacant homes. The total area of abandoned farmland in Japan is approximately 257,000 hectares (based on the latest data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries)—an area roughly equivalent to the size of Kanagawa Prefecture. Abandoned farmland is on the rise in the Tohoku region as well. A further complication is the growing number of plots that the owner is unknown or lives far away and is absent. However, where there are problems, problem-solvers emerge. One such solution provider is the Farmland Intermediate Management Organization, commonly known as the “Farmland Bank.” These banks are becoming increasingly prominent in the Tohoku region. They lease farmland from owners and then facilitate its transfer to motivated farmers. As the Tohoku region is one of Japan’s leading rice-producing areas, there are notable examples of efforts to consolidate paddy fields through these organizations. Consolidating farmland and scaling up operations leads to reduced production costs and higher profit margins.
In Iwate Prefecture, a farmland consolidation initiative utilizing a mobile app is underway. Tannbo (based in Takizawa City, Iwate Prefecture)—a general incorporated association spun off from Iwate Prefectural University—developed an app called the “Farmland Consolidation System” that automatically calculates proposals for the transfer of cultivation rights. Participating farmers in the target area use the app to input details regarding the plots they own but do not wish to cultivate themselves and the plots owned by others that they *do* wish to cultivate. The app then generates and displays matching proposals; if the parties agree, the cultivation rights are transferred accordingly. In Iwate, this app is facilitating the smooth consolidation of farmland. This mechanism could potentially be applied to other issues, such as vacant houses or rental properties that are sitting empty. Rather than leaving properties unused—incurring taxes and wasting money on maintenance—it is far more desirable to have a system that generates some income while helping people in need of housing or farmland. Realizing such a system could make the community a more vibrant and enjoyable place to live.
Note: Rental housing costs in Tokyo are skyrocketing; the availability of low-cost vacant homes would be a welcome solution.
