Haunted Houses Sizzle in Japan's Hot Property Market

In Japan, properties known as 'jiko bukken' or 'misfortunate properties' are gaining interest due to soaring real estate prices. These homes, marked by past deaths, are traditionally avoided for fear of ghosts and psychological impact, but rising costs have forced prospective buyers to reconsider their options.

Kazutoshi Kodama, a ghost investigator and property consultant, offers unique services to assure new buyers of a property's spectral cleanliness. An ageing population contributes to more socially isolated deaths, increasing the number of such properties, as demonstrated by a recent report citing nearly 21,900 undetected deaths lasting over eight days last year.

Some investors overlook the unsettling histories of these homes, seeking lucrative returns. As the government implements guidelines mitigating property stigmas, interest in 'jiko bukken' grows, though not without hesitation from some young buyers deterred by the eerie past of potential residences.

(With inputs from agencies.)