Osaka to Halt Applications for “Minpaku” Private Lodgings

Tokyo, Nov. 17 (Jiji Press)–The Osaka prefectural government and some municipalities in the western Japan prefecture on Monday submitted to the Japanese government a proposal to stop accepting new applications for “minpaku” private lodging services in special zones, starting May 30, 2026. The proposal was made at an area meeting of the national strategic special zones held at the Cabinet Office, in response to repeated complaints from residents in some areas about the behavior of some foreign guests staying at private accommodations used as minpaku facilities. The prefectural government and the municipalities will decide whether to resume accepting minpaku applications, based on central government reforms aimed at strengthening local governments’ authority to provide guidance and supervision. The suspension would cover the city of Osaka and 29 municipalities under the prefecture’s jurisdiction. Yao and Neyagawa, both ordinance-designated core cities in Osaka, will stop taking new applications after receiving central government approval. The minpaku special zones were established as an exemption from the hotel business law to address a shortage of accommodations amid rising inbound tourism. The minpaku scheme allows private residences to host guests if they meet requirements such as providing foreign-language signage, setting a minimum stay of two nights and three days and offering rooms of 25 square meters or more. More than 90 pct of such lodgings in Osaka are concentrated in the city of Osaka, according to the municipal government. In some cases, minpaku service providers have failed to adequately address complaints from local residents regarding noise and garbage left behind by foreign guests. The prefecture is “pausing the scheme to reinforce oversight,” Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura has said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]