What, your old people are safe to leave their retirement cages? How will Japan cope with a population dip without mass immigration, soring violent crime, artificial housing bubble, daily terrorist attacks, mass censorship and government gaslighting, legally enforced homosexuality and worse....?
Economy is one of the least threatening issue. Declining workforce means deteriorating infrastructures, less compétent average workers, less specialized technicians. Economy is easy to fix (it s just a social agreement between humans after all😅) Compared to having to deal with issues in the concrete physical World
It comes down to a few major factors. First and foremost, the cities got too big, too quickly. This caused a sustained increase in the cost of living, resulting in an economy that is simply not kid-friendly. Japan also made the same mistake as the west and exported many of its blue-collar jobs. Immigration was too lenient for over a decade, resulting in whole classes of job simply being taken over by foreigners. Manga and anime have completely distorted the young Japanese outlook regarding relationships, which has helped spawn various types of shut-ins. And finally, women don't want to affect their waistline with childbirth. Yes, simple vanity and desire to look young as long as possible is a HUGE issue that isn't talked about much. None of this will be easy to fix but a sensible place to start might be incentivizing having babies. For low-to-mid income couples the government could subsidize the purchase of homes that have room for at least two children. Factory jobs should be brought back from China and other slave labor countries - not everyone is suited to work in a high-rise office. Immigration should be strictly controlled. Japan is a successful ethnostate and doesn't need to be ruined like most of Europe. Discourage social media, its the greatest cancer society has ever known and creates techno-isolationism. Get Japan's amazing entertainment industry to produce more shows celebrating family life. The tide *can* be turned with a unified effort, and that's something Japan used to be renowned for.
I'm sorry to tell you that this trend will continue no matter what. Many countries are already trying similar things and even Japan themselves are doing the same. None of that works without addressing the main problem. People just don't want kids anymore or at least have it as a low priority. Without cultural or peer pressure, it's difficult to convince someone to have a kid with all the associated disadvantages. Also, people have things to do in life. Having a kids will just stop all that. Immigration will be temp fix, but immigrants tend to have the same birth rate as their host country. Putting money into child rearing activities will only help families with children but does not encourage people to have children. So, the best and only solution for increasing birth rate is social engineering. Creating a culture where not having kids will make you an outcast. Also, disincentivizing single lifestyle will also help.
@@tatsumasa6332 People don't make decisions based on policies but cultural influences. So change the culture to be more child friendly and discourage single lifestyle.
During my first trip to Japan a few years ago. I was shocked that I almost stepped on a man sleeping near some vending machines under Osaka Shinsekai tower. It makes me realised that Japan we tourist sees and the real Japan are two different world.
Back in 2002 me and my friends used to practice skateboard in this place, wakamiya skatepark nagoya. Now it's looks completely different and I'm back to my country
That is why we need folks like yourself to migrate here to chip in for the 12 trillion USD of debt because there's absolutely no way we can handle it by ourselves.
Over the last 10 years or so I have noticed a lot more people coming in from Vietnam, the Philippines and other countries. A lot are working in factories I have seen some teaching English. They did not know the difference between he and she. Just shocking.
I don't think we can make it to the point of when the Robotics and the AI solving our problem here, and we cannot afford to borrow more money to support the couples thinking of having their kids.
@@tatsumasa6332 Yes, you can. Japan's debt is internal. It can be strung out over decades. It's not an issue. If you had foreign creditors, the yen could come under pressure. But you don't. This is a simple problem to solve, if it is a problem. Hungary has shown the way. Just pay people to have kids.
ianxyoutube Although our bunds stay with BOJ, that dosen't mean it's spendable because fiscal is set by the treasury, also the treasuary restricts to sell our bond to foreign. Hungary ( also the other nations in the east Europe) is easier than us because smaller population they have. You have all the brilliant ideas you might think we don't know about and which we all do, but I strongly suggest you to tell our youngsters make sure to go to vote if you want to open your mouth because that's where all starts and what all you say above isn't fresh to any of us at all in here.
My family unfortunately has 3 Akiya. Or made 3 Akiya. The reason we abandoned them is because of taxes and the cost of demolition and disposal is too expensive. If you inhabit the old house you pay property tax which is very expensive is certain areas. But because of earthquakes houses over 50 years old in Japan are hazardous and the house could crumble on you which happened January first in my prefecture and many people in old houses died. We built a new house 7 years ago but one of the Akiya we still use as storage but don't inhabit it so we don't pay property tax. The othet two have bad termite damage and may crumble in another strong earthquake. I have mixed feelings about Japan marketing these Akiya to foreigners. It feels like a scam. Most Japanese wouldn't want to buy an Akiya for reform. Foreigners do that. But as long as the foreigner makes the Akiya safe and replaces all the damaged and rotten wood bringing life back into dead areas is beautiful, but you might end up spending way more than you thought and then end up with very high property taxes and tax debt if you live in a metropolitan area. My husbands uncle died and he owned a very small property 2LDK in Tokyo and his yearly property tax was so expensive it is 80000円 a month to pay it off. But the house is moldy and termite damaged and unsafe to live in so we boarded it up. Even breathing the air is hazardous. He and his family had sever breathing problems and health issues living in that house. Moldy homes can make you develop asthma and lung cancer risk. Be careful with Akiyas.
A 10k USD akiya is often in a real rural area or really, really run down. It costs a lot to modernise it to some liveable standards. And older houses often don't come with 'newer' earthquake secure builds, aka those houses that were built before 1980 do not have them. There ARE some cases where someone bought a 10k~ish akiya and managed to renovate them for 10k, but then the house has to be in a condition that allows it. Chani Japan for example managed to do that. But that doesn't have to be the case for everybody. Before buying an akiya, you have to be aware of potential costs and then have more money at hand, in case smth goes wrong and you need more funds. And I believe many people are not prepared enough.
How do you think they treat foreigners buying in the area? I have a Japanese friend, from rural area, who says that they aren’t friendly. Her kids are half Japanese and said they would not be welcome.
You can see the distinct culture difference between the homeless in Japan to other countries. The Japanese keep their belongings neat and tidy, including their rubbish.
Don't forget the number ONE thing if you buy an Akiya in a small town somewhere (as a "gaijin"): You are going to be totally stared at, as being from the planet Mars. You will never get accepted, always talked about behind your back, if you ever do anything wrong its magnified 100 times. Its not a pleasant thing, believe me. If there is one thing Japan has to change to be able to turnaround, it is its view of Japan vs Other countries.
As an amateur historian, I'm contemplating the vast difference in social life between totalitarian Japan, 1941 and democratic Japan 2024. It's now late spring, 2024. This Australian tourist is walking around in broad daylight in the wide open with a camera, filming a near-deserted rural Japanese town, and talking down unwanted, decaying abandoned rural Japanese homes, which is all true. No one is watching him and no one is accosting him to ask questions. No one cares about some crazy Gaijin wandering around an almost ghost town instead of hanging out in the big Japanese cities. Go back to 1941 and this same Japanese rural town is widely populated. There are people of all ages walking around. The natives are starring at him, some with open hostility as it is early 1941 and war is looming with the Western Powers. Also the natives hate white foreigners intensely. Unbeknownst, locals are calling up the authorities about a Gaijin spy wandering around with a film camera. In no time the Japanese secret police pull up and surround the Australian. He's carrying a camera so he must be a spy. Guilty as charged. Besides getting roughed up on the spot, he'll be thrown into prison as a spy to be the recipient of more unfriendly treatment. The Australian government will have to move heaven and earth to get him released, if they can. Isn't he glad it's 2024 and Japan is a friendly country now.
Real estate agents always say, location, location, location. if you own a house in Malibu, Hancock Park, or Beverly Hills, California, you can sell your home within mere days. I know of a couple who purchased a home in Maine. When the husband got another job out of state, they couldn't sell their home. Few people were interested in moving to Maine. They ended up giving their house back to the bank. The same happens in the United States all the time. If your house is in a unpopular, economically poor part of the nation, typically the middle portion, you'll have a hard time selling your house and it will be at bottom dollar. Homeowners in coastal California are selling their homes for $800K and up while homeowners in the middle of the United States are selling their homes for $120K even under $100K especially in unpopular, economically flat locations. Your house needs to be in a large, metropolitan city that's popular and dense with businesses and companies..
If these old houses are so bad to live in the winter, how come the method of their construction endured for 1000s of years? Wood is known as a great insulator so....
I think it's gonna be difficult for Japan to enforce a two tier system to be honest, I mean they can try and encurrage residances to flash their Visas or Zairyu Card (在留カード) everytime they wish to get served. I was informed that Japan already has a two tier system for some of their sexual services in Nishinari/Kamagasaki but that's another story.
@lifeinruraljapan There's another youtuber @DIYJapan who bought an Akiya and documented their journey. From my understanding the house and land is 'free' however you have to pay for the legal litigations to obtain full ownership of the land (you'll need to know a good amount of Japaense to do this or have someone help you) as some of those houses may have many owners, some of which might be several generations down the tree. There's also a catch. If you get one, you'll have a limited amount of time to refurbish it (think it's five years) and live there for x number of years. Something people who are interested in buying an Akiya have to think about. Whatever money you sink into the house will most likely be lost, as few people want to live in the rural areas those days. In Japan anyone can buy a house but owning property still doesn't give you the right to ramain, therefore you'll still need a visa of some sort.
I think some are free some you have to buy. In Japan the longer you keep a house the less money it is worth. I don’t have a visa I am a permanent resident. After you have lived here for so many years you can get it.
@@lifeinruraljapan I'm half Japaneses but not interessted in buying an Akiya. Tempting but not worth it. Technically speaking, I belive your Permanent Resident is also a visa, that's why when you leave, you have to get re-entry permits; the advantages of a PR is that you never need to renew it. However if you leave Japan for more than 5 years, you'll lose your PR status. The only definite long term permit is Citizenship.
I so glad you made this video mate. What I find weird, is nobody seems to be talking about it. Yeah sure, you hear about shipping price increases, but this is not just an increase, this is LUNACY! Even when I try to do some googling to find out why shipping is so expensive, no answer seems to justify the exorbitant increases we are seeing. For example, I'm in the market for a replacement light bulb for an old microscope. They're not cheap bulbs because they are so specialised. They are also hard to find, and often not available from within Australia. They are also small bulbs. Think like an old car dash light bulb, or indicator bulb. On ebay, the shipping prices from the US to Australia are usually about $50AUD!!! There is a listing that wants $100AUD!!!!!! For a tiny f***ing bulb. It's absolutely nuts. It's beyond comprehension. It makes me feel like I'm going crazy because I can't get over how expensive it is, but the rest of the world doesn't seem to be so worried about it. And nobody can explain why. Mind boggling. Absolutely mind boggling. If you get any answers, I'd love for you to reply. I'd love to find out why there is like a 1,000% increase in shipping. Take care mate. Thanks again for the video.
I know I can’t understand it. I bought 2 bike frames for a mate in Australia. They are coming here to pick them up. Two people can come to Japan and back cheaper than it is to ship them to Australia. It’s just crazy. Glad you enjoyed it. If you could subscribe I would appreciate it.
Short reply: While it is true that in general it is a cultural norm for Japanese to.show emotional restraint or to have a degree of disenfranchisement between parents and children (especially fathers and children), it really depends on the family. Living in the inaka of Aomori, I interacted with all types of families: warm, cold, open, closed, kind, cruel, and more. So, I think it can be problematic to paint all families with the same broad, anecdotal brush. That is, some things may be heavily influenced by culture, but other things can be more heavily driven by individual personality or individual family dynamics one might just as easily elsewhere in the world. Finally, if by some cultural norms (perhaps those found in the English-speaking diaspora) the Japanese seem muted in their display of emotion, it may be more about learning to understand how and when they do show closeness and familiarity (see also, honme and tatame). Just my 2 yen worth of rambling thoughts. All in all, it's nice to see the inaka again. I miss it dearly.
It's obviously Too Good To be True. My house cost $43K US, is in a beachside tourist area with a slowly growing population. And I am mostly remote work. But it's on public transport into Tokyo. And it was still being used a couple of times a year as a vacation home. And I'm still having to put over $100K US in it for renovations. Still beats the cost of a house on the coast with a nice beach in Australia or the US. $10K or $20K is going to be a hellpit. As far as sunscreen is concerned, that shouldn't be gendered, because it reduces the rate of skin cancer. It also of course has the added benefit of keeping you looking younger for longer, which is reflective of general skin health overall. UV is really bad for human skin. Men really should have been doing more of this for decades, and it's good that it's finally catching on.
...uhm. what. No, this is not true. It is possible to get mortgages if you have permanent residency. The fixed term status is considered a risk factor. Naturalised Japanese are Japanese. Not "foreigners." Literally the opposite. You can even run for office or become prime minister as a naturalised citizen. There is zero legal difference. Marutei Tsurunen was a member of the House of Councilors and he was born in Finland.
@@nippolitica uhh, yeah, it is true. Everyone knows it's legal to let residency holders open bank accounts and can obtain loans, I'm talking reality. Most Japanese banks DO NOT grant loans to the majority of residency holders or naturalized citizens. Foreigners always have been and always will be gaijin in Japan, no matter their citizenship status. Again, the law states naturalized citizens can run for office, but in reality they never get elected, Which is fine (and a good thing). Stop being a cringe legal tryhard, what the law says and how things actually work in a society are completely different. Marutei Tsurunen is half Japanese, he's not a naturalized citizen. Please stop trying so hard, it's cringe. I've lived in 34 countries and invest in 13, with citizenship in 3 and residency in 4. Japan is the best country in existence, just not for poor people. Foreigners will never really be accepted as Japanese, even if they master Japanese and obtain citizenship. Not a problem for me, I don't care. It has it's benefits anyway. But don't do this cringe "bUt ITs lEgaL!" argument. Live in reality, not theory
I've lived in Japan my entire adult life. I'm politically active as a labor activist and union organiser. Please stop spreading false information. Marutei Tsurunen was born in Finland of two Finnish parents. He is not half-Yamato and never has been. He's also not the only non-Yamato naturalised Japanese citizen in office. PR holders get loans all the time. I know several personally. I don't care what other countries you've lived in or citizenships you have. Your information on Japan is wrong. Period.
@@nippolitica Brilliant, you've lived your entire adult life in Japan and you still know nothing about the country. The only person wrong here is you. I'm not saying they don't approve loans for foreigners, I'm saying somewhere like 70% of foreigners don't get approved. That's why foreigners are always buying in cash
Typical old, lazy foreigner saying "this is all nonsense. You should only buy new stuff because I'm lazy and too poor to afford $30k renovations" You keep repeating yourself and rambling on throughout the entirety of this video, you sound as senile as the US president. It's not difficult to fix insulation issues, that seems to be your main issue
The things is...as an American who pulls six figures in America...I can only dream of owning a house at all, let alone a collapsing shack. A pile of wood in the sticks will run you 200-400k and the taxes alone will drive you into bankruptcy. If I can buy a collapsing shack for $10k, even if it costs me another 100-200k to renovate it, I still would come out ahead of what it costs me in the US. I'm moving to Japan March 2025 to teach english and I'll be shopping for a house while doing the job. It's such a hopeless state in the US that I'm willing to throw away over 100k a year to move there and spend the second half of my life there. I'm not looking to resell, I'm looking to make it my last home, so it making money or selling to the kids doesn't factor for me.
@@lifeinruraljapan yeah, it's to get my foot in the country. Once in, I'll be able to find other work for sure. 25+ years management in the hospitality industry...and lots of tourism like you said.
@@lifeinruraljapan Yup. Been here heading towards two decades and when I arrived, it was 75 yen to the US dollar and I was making a third more in yen than I make now--and I work in IT now. Wages have cratered and the exchange rate reversed. But being middle-aged I had a parent pass. And according to the tax office, I had just scooted under the "designated payer" and didn't have to pay inheritance tax (I will on the next one :/), so I had the money in USD. Otherwise... But yeah, teaching is a good way into the country, especially with the now combined engineer/international relations residency status (those used to be separate). Makes it easier to go from eikaiwa to other industries, including high skilled engineering jobs.
The US is horrible. US Amazon had an Lumix FZ200 with tripod, filters, cleaning thingos, whole package $320au when they were $400au in Oz but the shipping was like $200, so killed the deal. Oz not so good either, sent 2 bottles of wine to wifes olds in Japan $50 and that was like 20 years ago. If I buy a surfboard on the East coast of Oz and send it to West Oz its $200. But last year I sent a surfboard from Tokyo to my hotel in Miyazaki for $60 and then back to Tokyo from Kagoshima for $70
"men are wearing makeup and want white skin..." I would refer you look into two phenomena of female sexual selection. Peacocking, and the beautiful ones from the mouse utopia.
Here in finland you can buy old logframe houses with 10 k and those are still good to live with cheap renovating...I bought 1900 buildt cottage 5years ago and it's great...these are in countryside where isn't work...but if you are willing to drive 50km to work in city thats ok..
Vacant and abandoned, usually rural. You really need to know what you are doing when purchasing, and actually know what is coming, cause buying because something is cheap often leads to a big loss. What is bothering me lately are these guys who are actually just real estate guys pumping out videos about "Akiyas," when they just want to sell a house. Often they are working all sides of the game: getting commissions for a service to the buyer, a commission on the sale, and a commission from the seller. Beware.
American real estate agents say all the time, "Location, location, location". Those 9 million empty houses are probably in out-of-the-way places that are inconvenient to live because the distances to work are far too long. Homeowners in the city of Tokyo or other major cities likely have no problem selling their homes. One can hop on a commuter train and be at work in central Tokyo in one hour.
@@jeffyoung60 Actually you can find more akiyas in the cities including Tokyo than the rural if you count them believe it or not, and it is estimated the number is growing even more in Tokyo alone in near future. The main reason why we have so many akiyas in here is that you can save a ton of the property tax if you have a house instead of just the flat land. And some are untraceable the owners even the local goverment due to the staff shortages, but the law is being changed.
Hi, thanks for the reviews, do like these, seem to have everything you need in a compact vehicle, wish they did these for the UK, would make parking a breeze and just so practical for every day driving.
I like the idea of living in a quiet corner of a village,buying one of these old houses has its pros and cons. Personally I wouldn’t want to sink too much money into a house that’s still going to lose value. I’d only do the minimum amount of work to make it habitable, but the winters would be scary for sure.
