Police and officials from the city of Kyoto on Monday agreed to increase the crackdown on illegal private lodging facilities just 10 days after a new national law restricting their operation took effect.
"We want to cooperate closely with the police to close illegal facilities right away," Kyoto Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa said at meeting of police and municipal officials on Monday morning.
The city estimates that there were likely 435 minpaku (short-term lodging facilities) operating illegally at of the end of May. It has warned that those who do not quickly bring their establishments in line with the June 15 law, as well as municipal rules on minpaku, face prosecution.