Saijo and Kikuchi Cities to demolish vacant houses with unknown owners

In the extra edition of the Official Gazette dated October 21, 2026, Saijo City (Ehime Prefecture) and Kikuchi City (Kumamoto Prefecture) published notices regarding “Specified Vacant Houses, etc.” for which the owners cannot be identified. Based on Article 2, Paragraph 2 of the Act on Special Measures Concerning Promotion of Vacant Houses, etc. (Act No. 127 of 2014), both cities designated the target buildings as Specified Vacant Houses, etc., and issued these notices pursuant to the provisions of Article 22, Paragraph 10 of the same Act. It was explicitly stated that if the owners do not carry out removal by the deadline, the mayor will execute the measures personally. The notices were signed by Saijo Mayor Mitsuyoshi Ochi and Kikuchi Mayor Minoru Egashira, both dated October 21, 2026.

Legal System Enabling Measures via Public Notice Even When Owners are Unknown

The Act classifies vacant houses that pose a risk of collapse or sanitary hazards if left unattended as “Specified Vacant Houses, etc.,” and establishes a framework allowing municipalities to order measures such as removal or repair. While the identification of the owner is typically a prerequisite, in cases like these where the owner cannot be identified, the mayor can implement measures personally after following the public notice procedure under Article 22, Paragraph 10. The public notice also serves to provide the rights holders with an opportunity and a deadline to file an objection.

Saijo City: Two-Story Wooden Building in Meyashiki, Deadline November 18

The building targeted by Saijo City is as follows, and the measures to be taken by the owner, etc., were designated as the removal of the building and the disposal of movable property.

• Location: 755-3 Meyashiki, Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture
• Type: Residence / Structure: Two-story wooden building with slate tile roofing / Total floor area: 94.8 square meters
• Deadline for measures: November 18, 2026
• If no action is taken by the deadline: The mayor, or a person ordered/delegated by the mayor, will implement said measures
• Contact: Saijo City Construction Department, City Planning Division (Tel: 0897-52-1521)

Kikuchi City: Single-Story Building in Kufu, Short Deadline of October 31

The notice from Kikuchi City, stating that the owner or manager cannot be identified, orders the removal of the building as well as the removal and proper disposal of movable property left on the premises.

• Location: 1472-1 Aza-Jodani, Kufu, Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture / House Number 1472-1
• Type: Residence / Structure: Single-story block and wooden building with galvanized steel sheet roofing
• Total floor area: 1st floor 57.57 square meters, 2nd floor 51.30 square meters
• Deadline for measures: October 31, 2026
• Contact: Kikuchi City Hall, Disaster Prevention and Transportation Division (Tel: 0968-25-7203, FAX: 0968-24-7222)

Deadlines and Notification Obligations for Rights Holders of Remaining Movables

Both notices require persons claiming rights to movable property remaining inside the buildings or on the premises to notify the city by the deadline whether they will remove the items, specify items for storage, or surrender them. Once the deadline passes, the mayor, etc., will remove and dispose of said movable property. The time remaining for rights holders is limited to approximately four weeks for Saijo City (November 18) and ten days for Kikuchi City (October 31).

For residents, this means that the removal of everyday hazards, such as collapse, fire, and pest infestations, has been placed on a realistic schedule. On the other hand, for real estate rights holders who have neglected inheritance registration, or related parties who have left movable property inside the building, this is a public notice indicating that they may lose their possessions once the deadline passes; filing a claim within the deadline is the sole means of preserving their rights.

Source: Official Gazette (Extra Edition, October 21, 2026) “Public Notice Regarding Specified Vacant Houses, etc.” — Saijo Mayor Mitsuyoshi Ochi, Kikuchi Mayor Minoru Egashira. Legal Basis: Act on Special Measures Concerning Promotion of Vacant Houses, etc. (Act No. 127 of 2014), Article 2, Paragraph 2, and Article 22, Paragraph 10.