JAPAN — Japan is giving away 10 million abandoned houses at a heavily discounted price, some even for free.<br /><br />These houses are called "Akiya" in Japanese which means "empty house."<br /><br />Many of them are associated with suicide, murder, or even "lonely deaths," reports Insider.<br /><br />The houses are mainly located in rural areas or suburbs which most Japanese people moved out of due to the changing demographics.<br /><br />These houses are also prone to vandalism and pests, and could collapse any minute.<br /><br />The "Akiya" program is aimed at those who want to own a house or those who want to invest in property.<br /><br />The Japanese government is offering subsidies, mainly aimed at people under the age of 43, to those willing to purchase and renovate these houses, according to Rethink Tokyo.<br /><br />Still, there's a deep social stigma attached to "Akiya" houses in Japan, with most avoiding it due to bad luck or because they don't want to be seen as a "social failure."
