Short-term accommodation hosts to be hit with 180 day limit
The Japanese government is currently in the process of introducing a new law to govern the rapidly growing market of short-term letting of individual homes and apartments, and will be imposing strict rules on hosts. The maximum number of days that a property can be let out is expected to be capped at 180 days a year, while maximum fines will be lifted from 30,000 Yen to 1,000,000 Yen for hosts found to be violating the new law.
Accommodation listing sites may be obligated to impose checks on hosts and remove listings once a property has reached the 180 day limit. Local governments will also have the power to reduce the annual limit even further, even to 0 days a year.Read more
Tokyo’s Taito Ward tightens rules on AirBnb-type rentals
On March 29, members of the local government in Tokyo’s Taito Ward voted unanimously in favour of reforms to regulations under the Inns and Hotels Act that will make it overwhelming difficult to operate AirBnb-type short-term rentals.
The reforms will require an employee of the host company to be stationed on the premises during business hours, as well as having a front desk at the property’s entrance. Under these rules, studio apartments or entire houses would not meet the conditions. A local council member said that the ward is not opposed to short-term accommodation, but wants to ensure the safety of anyone who visits the area.Read more
Only 1 applicant for Ota-ku’s new short-term letting license system
On January 29, Tokyo’s Ota Ward introduced relaxed rules for short-term letting that allows ordinary homes and apartments to be rented to tourists. Licensing requirements still apply, however, although the terms are not as strict as they are under the hotel licensing law.
In the lead up to the regulation change, Ota’s city office received over 120 inquiries from companies interested in opening accommodation facilities under the new system. Information sessions held in January were attended by over 200 people at a time. Since January 29, they have handled an additional 220 inquiries.
Despite the strong interest, there has only been one applicant, a Tokyo-based company called Tomareru. Read more
Sumitomo bans AirBnb-type rentals in new condominium
According to the Nikkei Shimbun, property developer Sumitomo Realty & Development has taken an unusual step by adding a clause to the management bylaws of a new condominium that outright bans any short-term letting by individual apartment owners.
This is in response to a growing number of complaints from buyers after moving into a building and finding that a number of units, even the guest suites usually reserved for residents and their guests, were being illegally rented out by investors as overnight accommodation to tourists.Read more
Osaka's new short-term letting rules leave out Osaka City
On October 27, Osaka Prefecture became the first area in Japan to approve the new and relaxed rules regarding short-term accommodation.
Despite the changes, there are still strict requirements, including:
- Obtaining permission from local authorities before letting out the property.
- Having a signed fixed-term rental agreement with the host and the guest.
- A minimum room size of 25 sqm. Each room must have it’s own lockable bath, toilet and kitchen.
- The minimum stay must be 6 nights and 7 days.
- Hosts will be obligated to keep a guest book with guest names, passport numbers, and must check and confirm the identity of each guest.
- Local authorities will have the right to conduct physical inspections of the properties. If a problem is found, the operator will lose their permission to operate short-term letting.
- The following areas are not included in the relaxed rules: Osaka City, Sakai City, Takatsuki City, Higashi-osaka City, Toyonaka City, Hirakata City.
It is important to note that a large part of the urban area in Osaka is not part of the relaxed rules. Operators of properties in areas in white in the map below will require a hotel license to provide accommodation for less than 30 days.Read more
Overnight accommodation laws relaxed in Fukuoka City, but for limited times only
To alleviate the strain on hotels in Fukuoka City, the mayor announced on December 8 that the hotel letting laws would be temporarily relaxed to allow private residences and apartments to be leased out to guests.
As a trial run, the license-free* letting period will be limited to just five days this month when Japanese pop bands Arashi and Exile are scheduled to hold concerts in the city.
On December 17 ~ 19 and 26 ~ 27, homeowners will be permitted to rent out rooms in their homes, while landlords, or tenants with the express permission of their landlords, will be permitted to lease out empty rooms to overnight guests.Read more
Government may lift ban on AirBnb-type rentals
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism are considering removing the ban on letting out private apartments and homes to tourists starting as early as next year.
Under the current Hotel Business Law, anyone wanting to provide accommodation for stays of less than 30 days must obtain a hotel license. Properties must meet strict requirements, including zoning, structural codes, safety and hygiene practices. Renting out a room on AirBnb to someone for less than 30 days is essentially illegal without the appropriate license.
The recent influx in foreign tourists, a shortage of hotel rooms, and a growing number of incidents with illegal hotels and AirBnb hosts has caused the government to consider introducing some urgent changes to legislation.Read more