Houses in Japan are going for as little as $500
These don't have "minor" loopholes to renovation or occupation.Typically these will require the use of licensed craftsmen who can restore the building if they are the older style, and almost all will require 5-10 year occupation agreements and/or agreements to productively farm the land it comes with.Further, there are strict restrictions on ownership by foreigners, and most of the akiya bank properties aren't eligible last I looked. Those that are will have little to no internet, you will be an hour or more away from a decent sized city, and you'd better be fluent in Japanese because noone in these communities will be fluent in anything else. Even signage in many of these places is lacking the English foreigners that have traveled there will be used to.For reference I've lived in Japan, have a Japanese spouse, and my children are dual citizens. We have investigated this going on 15 years now and it's just not something you'd want to take on, if you were able to, most of the time.