Tokyo
As Japan faces a worsening vacant home problem, dozens of Japanese companies are using a combination of satellite imagery and artificial intelligence (AI) to find vacant homes for sale, Kyodo News reported on Monday.
The service from startup Where Inc. employs AI trained on thousands of images to identify aging roofs by analyzing features such as rust and discoloration. Houses that appear abandoned are highlighted on satellite images.
One of the service’s users, Kotaro Yasue, recently discovered a two-story wooden house and contacted the owner through the real estate registry. I learned that the house had been abandoned for over 10 years and the owner was wondering what to do with it.
Yasue, who runs a housing rental business in central Gifu Prefecture, agreed to buy the property for just 1 yen.
The number of vacant houses in Japan is steadily increasing, with government data showing that by 2023 there will be approximately 9 million vacant houses.
According to Where Inc., the AI service was developed using technology from an affiliate of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and was initially used to analyze craters on the moon.
This technology can also help identify suitable land for parking lots and solar panel installations.
Since its full launch in 2024, the Tokyo-based company has acquired around 50 customer companies.
A representative said, “We want to support (companies) in making effective use of unused real estate.”
