This was the total value of estates in Japan in 2024 that had no legal heirs.
👛 Straight into the state’s pocket: The amount is nearly four times higher than in 2013. Behind this trend are more single people without close relatives. In addition, only a small share of Japanese citizens actually draw up a will.
👵 Aging, shrinking society: With 1.6 million deaths in 2024, Japan’s demographic imbalance is worsening markedly. Millions of homes stand empty as akiya because there are no heirs or no one willing to take on the burden.
Watch: The record sum is less a windfall for the state than a warning sign — Japan is sliding into an “heirless” phase of aging, in which wealth, real estate, and entire estates quietly flow into state hands with no social transfer.
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