If the goal was really to repopulate the countryside some quick changes might make this much more appealing. Manor house model. If you want an old time feel,

If the goal was really to repopulate the countryside some quick changes might make this much more appealing. Manor house model. If you want an old time feel, allow for full fudel style living. This would mean. * Allow frontpage / living space be expanded keeping same style - so main home could add some outbuildings. * Allow owner to hire out labor for the farming using outbuildings. * Allow owner to use this as a summar house as long as at least 4 other people lived on property full time (farming / caretakers etc) * Explicitly allow (screened) sat dishes / 4G LTE extenders for internet access if needed or get fiber to property. Modern digital nomad modal. * Go big on connectivity. Allow easy renovations behind existing look (ie, upgrade to modern comfort). * Make it VERY easy to live in these including quick visas etc for folks with means and only a 1 year residence requirement etc. * Allow digital nomads to easily bring partners / kids etc. Commercial development model. * Remove building / zoning restrictions. Ie, ugly modern houses OK. Tear down and replace OK. Etc. Let creativity flourish (including some horrible / weird / crazy houses or tiny shacks etc). There is a reason folks are moving out of these areas - the tradeoffs are not worth it (currently). Maybe tweak those tradeoffs? Japan is an INCREDIBLY safe country.