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A few days ago, 80% of Airbnb listings in Japan disappeared. The total number of properties available plummeted from over 62,000 to 13,800. According to the Japan Times, the move comes in response to a new law in Japan as of June 15, 2018.
New Regulations
The new law requires all property owners to register their Airbnb listings with the local authority, so they can be inspected for fire and safety regulations. Airbnb has requested that homeowners submit proof that they are compliant with the law before they will reinstate their rooms on the site.
As part of a local and national crackdown on house and room sharing, which is called minpaku, local authorities have implemented various differing regulations across the country. Osaka has minimal restrictions, while in Kyoto the person running the apartment must reside within half a mile of the building. On the other hand, the Bikan canal district of Kurashiki has a complete ban in place.
Our Take
The key point to take away from this development is when planning your travels, it is essential that you have backup plans for accommodation, in case there is any unforeseen development. This is especially important when dealing with newer ventures like room and home sharing which are still subject to dramatic regulatory changes overnight.
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