The problem of akiya (empty homes) has become more prominent in recent years as the population continues to dwindle. A 2013 survey found there were around 8.2 million vacant residences, detached houses and apartments in Japan, and many are worth next to nothing.
In the two-hour special, "Akiya DIY" ("Vacant Home Do-It-Yourself"; TV Tokyo, Sun., 7:54 p.m.), a young family buys a broken-down, 50-year-old abandoned town house in Tokyo's Kamata district for only ¥1.5 million, which is obviously the price of the postage stamp-size lot under the totally useless structure. The main issue is that, due to zoning laws, the house cannot be rebuilt from scratch. It can only be remodeled. With the help of a "do-it-yourself expert," the family endeavors to turn the heap into a hip coffee shop.
The show also looks at another family who renovates an apartment that no one wants to rent.