Local rules for “Minpaku” private lodging biz being prepared

February 18, 2018

Tokyo- Ahead of the introduction of a law to regulate the "minpaku" private lodging business in Japan in June this year, dozens of local governments across the country have started work to draw up ordinances to set their own rules under the new law.

The law will allow vacant rooms at private housing facilities to be leased to tourists, including from overseas, and others for up to 180 days a year in total.

Under the law, the governments of prefectures and designated major cities will be able to confine minpaku services to certain districts and periods through ordinances, in order to prevent trouble between minpaku users and neighborhood residents.

In response to concerns about noise and other problems, the prefectural government of Kyoto plans to prohibit minpaku services in residential-only districts during "periods when the number of tourists surge" in the western prefecture.

Specific periods for the prefectural restriction will be set for individual municipalities, in line with their policies. No such periods will be designated for some municipalities, though.

The prefectural capital of Kyoto, a government ordinance-designated city, will not be subject to the prefecture's ordinance but plans itself to limit minpaku services to only January and February. Similar restrictions will be set in municipalities around the ancient city, which attracts many tourists. Jiji Press