The owner of the Watanabe Residence in Osaka's Yodogawa-ku has had the historical listing cancelled as he plans to demolish the home and sell the land in order to pay a high inheritance tax bill.
The current owner inherited the house two years ago and has not been able to pay the inheritance taxes on the property. An application was made to Osaka's Board of Education to remove the listing, so that the property could be razed and sold. The Board of Education said they often receive applications to remove listings due to fire and other damage, but it is rare to receive a request due to difficulty paying taxes.