Japanese houses and buildings were typically built with 25 to 30 year useful lives. It should come as little surprise that once unoccupied the structures, unmaintained, begin to deteriorate rapidly --and just as well.
Life is impermanent, so should buildings.
What they should institute, barring the messiness of property rights, etc. Is, given japan's family registries, etc. is identify owners figure out if they'll fix it, if not, demolish. Instead of spending billions concretizing the coasts and building roads to nowhere use those resources to cull crumbling buildings.
The one about the neighbor keeping up the property next door is very stereotypical --wish more of the world were that way. Yes, it's to no effect other than sensibilities, but without them there is no society.
Life is impermanent, so should buildings.
What they should institute, barring the messiness of property rights, etc. Is, given japan's family registries, etc. is identify owners figure out if they'll fix it, if not, demolish. Instead of spending billions concretizing the coasts and building roads to nowhere use those resources to cull crumbling buildings.
The one about the neighbor keeping up the property next door is very stereotypical --wish more of the world were that way. Yes, it's to no effect other than sensibilities, but without them there is no society.