Kenichi Tanabe knows his building is dying. The Yokohama condominium where he owns several units isn’t crumbling all at once but is slowly falling into disrepair — its foundation is cracked, the fire alarm is broken and the drainage system clogs like clockwork.
At first glance, the 51-year-old structure doesn’t look too dilapidated, thanks to a cosmetic renovation in the late 2010s. But Tanabe, 58, who also serves as the leader of the condo’s owners’ management association, is realistic. “I know it’s going to be unlivable at some point. I doubt it will last another 10 years.”
This isn’t just a problem with one building. Across Japan, thousands of aging condominiums face similar fates, trapped in a cycle of deferred maintenance, dwindling finances and aging residents. What happens when the cost of fixing a home outstrips its value? And what happens when there’s no one left to pay?
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