There are more than 8 million empty homes in rural Japan, and local governments are selling them for as little as $500 in a bid to lure residents
There are millions of vacant homes in Japan, and some of them are being given away nearly for free. To find occupants for its millions of “akiya,” or unoccupied homes, the Japanese government is enticing would-be homeowners with financial incentives like free properties and sizable renovation subsidies.