Ota-ku may relax short-term accommodation regulations
Tokyo’s Ota Ward has announced plans to relax accommodation regulations in order to provide accommodation for the growing number of foreign tourists in the lead up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It is expected that the new rules may go into effect by the end of this year.
Hotels in Ota Ward are currently operating with occupancy rates of over 90%, and there are concerns of a shortage in accommodation options for visitors.Read more
Lodging license required for Airbnb hosts in Fukuoka Prefecture
On July 10, Masashi Haranaka, a member of the Fukuoka prefectural assembly, confirmed that anyone who wants to rent out rooms on a nightly basis using online sites, including Airbnb, is required to obtain a license under the Inns and Hotels Act. This includes private individuals looking to offer out rooms in their own house to people in exchange for payment.
Under the Inns and Hotels Act, individuals and businesses looking to rent out rooms or entire homes to guests on a nightly basis must receive permission from the prefectural governor. This is the first time the prefecture has specifically indicated that this definition also applies to people renting out their own home to guests.
The prefecture has also indicated that they will conduct physical inspections to identify and prosecute people found to be operating illegally.Read more