Municipalities are scratching their heads over how to deal with an increasing number of "gomi yashiki" (garbage mansions), where residents, usually elderly, collect junk until it becomes a public nuisance.
In many cases, seniors living along amass piles of old items until they overflow their property and extend onto public thoroughfares.
Mental experts suggest some of these apparent pack rats are trying to offset their loneliness, and their lack of communication with the community may be aggravating the problem.