Abstract
Abandoned and unclaimed land has emerged as a major policy issue in Japan, where the population is dwindling and property values are falling everywhere but in the big cities. This article analyzes this alarming issue using the results of a nationwide survey conducted by the author targeting 1,719 local authorities, which revealed a disconnect between the existing land ownership system and rapid demographic change. Policy initiatives are needed to address three basic challenges, namely, how to get people to register title transfers when they inherit real estate; how to protect and manage land that has no immediate prospect for use; and how to improve the data collection and management infrastructure.
