Local assemblies around Japan are discussing or preparing to pass ordinances that will place strict limits on where minpaku (private lodging services) can be located, in advance of a national law that will go into effect in June regulating their use.
With the explosion of overseas tourism in big cities like Tokyo and Osaka, historical capitals like Kyoto and Nara, and regions like Hokkaido and Okinawa, local governments around major tourist destinations are looking to curb the number of illegal minpaku that have sprung up in recent years.
Eighty percent of Tokyo's 23 wards have or could have new ordinances regulating minpaku, according to a survey by Kyodo News. Shinjuku and Ota wards already have rules limiting the services. The survey showed another 17 were discussing such rules. Ota Ward, where Haneda airport is located, was particularly strict, with minpaku entirely banned in residential-only areas.