Face To Face

Masako Toyota: Turning Narrow Hilly Streets into an Asset

A declining birthrate and an exodus of young people to the cities has led to an increase in vacant homes, often abandoned in lieu of paying inheritance tax. Over 13% of the houses in Japan remain empty. In Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, however, an NPO is encouraging city dwellers to take up small town living by turning abandoned houses into attractive homes. It's renovated over 100 houses to date, increasing the population by over 150. We'll hear all about this from its director, Masako Toyota.