In Japan, there are 8 million empty houses due to declining population

A record of 8.46 million Japanese households are not occupied and construction companies continue to add houses in a country where the population is contracting.

According to a study released Friday by the Japanese government, the number of houses reached 13.6% of the total number of homes, according to Nikkei Asian Review.

Many of the properties are for future sale, rental or vacation. However, some are abandoned, which is a dangerreported the press service. The vacancy rate was highest in a prefecture where the northern part of Mount Fuji, an area of ​​holiday homes, is located. However, a greater movement of people from rural areas to metropolitan areas is also behind this increase, according to the press.

Hidden species are often discovered when these houses are demolished, said Nikkei Asian Review. In 2018, the equivalent of more than 200,000 USD was discovered during a demolition in Tokyo.

However, the number of empty houses could be much higher elsewhere. A survey conducted in 2017 revealed a vacancy rate of about one in five urban households in China. This translates into about 65 million homes, according to information published by the media.