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Japan to Let Local Governments Ban Private Lodging in Residential Areas
The central government will issue a nonbinding recommendation later this month allowing municipalities to restrict or prohibit short-term private rentals. The change responds to resident complaints about noise, trash, and cigarette litter in neighborhoods.
Japan TimesAudio version
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Japan will allow local governments to ban short-term private lodging in residential zones. The central tourism agency plans to issue a nonbinding recommendation later this month that lets each municipality amend its own ordinances. Current national rules permit private operators to rent homes for up to 180 days per year under the 2018 Private Lodging Business Act.
The new guidance would let cities reduce that limit to zero days if they choose.
Background and complaints The number of registered private lodgings rose from 2,210 in June 2018 to 63,658 as of last month. In Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward, complaints about guest behavior increased from 70 in fiscal 2021 to more than 900 in fiscal 2025. Officials cited problems including nighttime noise, improper trash disposal, and cigarette litter on streets.
The agency previously opposed allowing municipalities to set a zero-day limit. A professor at Rikkyo University said residential areas exist primarily for quiet living rather than commercial activity. The recommendation does not create a nationwide ban on the lodging type known as minpaku.
