Business May 21, 2020
Newly reported minpaku business starts came to 420, but 629 operators reported closures, meaning the number of minpaku properties fell by 209.
Issues | LAW OF THE LAND Feb 17, 2020
Bureaucrats are to blame for copy-happy hotel clerks
by Colin P.A. Jones
With data privacy being a huge issue, you may feel uneasy about hotels photocopying your passport. However, Colin P.A. Jones says the rule is more about bureaucratic culture than privacy.
Business / Corporate Feb 7, 2020
Marriott has no plans to offer private lodging service in Japan
Marriott International Inc. has no plans to operate a private lodging service in Japan for the time being due to strict regulations, Rajeev Menon, a senior official of the U.S. hotel chain, said in a recent interview. Although there is demand for such a service, ...
Business Nov 20, 2019
Airbnb to offer interactive experiences with Olympians ahead of Tokyo Games
Airbnb said Tuesday it will offer experiences that provide direct interactions with former and current Olympians ahead of the Tokyo Games next summer. The initiative, a partnership between the Japanese unit of the world's largest short-term lodging service and the International Olympic Committee, would allow ...
Business Jun 15, 2019
Japan minpaku offerings up eightfold in year since they were legalized
The number of minpaku (private lodging) facilities has increased eightfold since they were legalized a year ago to relieve a shortage of hotel rooms caused by the record-setting tourism boom.
Business Jun 6, 2019
Airbnb Inc. says it's back in business in Japan, a year after stricter short-term lodging regulations forced it to freeze a major portion of its listings in the country. There are 50,000 listings available in the country, with another 23,000 rooms in hotels and traditional ...
Issues | JUST BE CAUSE Apr 17, 2019
Know your rights when checking in at an Airbnb
by Debito Arudou
Last year, the government passed a law covering minpaku, which is when people rent out space on their properties to travelers (a la Airbnb). The law is part of an effort to regulate accommodations amid a tourism boom ahead of the 2020 Olympics. One issue ...
Business Jan 1, 2019
The Japan Times newsroom selected the following business news stories as the most important of 2018.
National / Politics Nov 26, 2018
Citing G20 security issues, Osaka shuts down over 80% of private lodging operations
by Eric Johnston
Between June and September, over 80 percent of Osaka minpaku private lodgings have been ordered closed by the city, Osaka Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura said earlier this month. "A task force consisting of 68 people, including retired police officers, investigated over 2,000 minpaku operations, and over ...
National Nov 20, 2018
Licensed private lodgings top 10,000 in Japan, concentrated in cities
The number of licensed private lodgings for tourists in Japan topped 10,000 in early November, but the facilities were concentrated in urban areas, the Japan Tourism Agency said Tuesday. Since a new law legalizing "minpaku" lodgings took effect in June, private home rentals in Japan ...
National Sep 14, 2018
First case of unlicensed private lodging in Japan sent to prosecutors
Four people are suspected of providing accommodation to tourists in Kyoto without obtaining a permit from the local government.
Business | Regional Voices: Okinawa Jul 13, 2018
Large percentage of private lodgings in Okinawa vanish after new minpaku law takes effect
With its abundant, pristine beaches and renowned cultural and historic sites, it's little surprise that Okinawa Prefecture became a hot market for minpaku (private lodging) services. But after a new law for such lodgings took effect on June 15, most of the more than 3,000 ...