Japan tightens short-term rental rules as Shinjuku targets more than half its area

Tokyo’s Shinjuku district is preparing to ban short-term rentals across more than half of its area as residents voice growing frustration with tourists’ behavior.

Shinjuku, one of Tokyo’s 23 wards, is known for its busy shopping and entertainment centers and attracts large numbers of visitors. It contains nearly 10% of Japan’s 42,000 short-term rental listings, but it also has a substantial permanent population. Residents have increasingly complained about noise, improper waste disposal and smoking in prohibited places.

An unnamed Shinjuku official responsible for overseeing vacation rentals told AFP that the new rules would cover more than 50% of short-term rental properties in the district. The restrictions would apply to existing properties. The ward mayor was scheduled to formally announce the plans on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

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Plan to change the current regulations to introduce a total ban on private lodging.

The official said local authorities “plan to change the current regulations to introduce a total ban on private lodging” in residential areas and near schools. Complaints about vacation rentals rose by about 40% in the fiscal year that ended in March, the official said. Many involved violations of waste-disposal rules, while others concerned smoking and people entering private property.

The decision follows a July move by the Japan Tourism Agency allowing local governments to regulate short-term rentals when they threaten a “peaceful living and educational environment” or make it harder to maintain a stable population and local community. Kyoto is also considering a ban, though its proposal would apply only to new properties in residential and industrial areas. The changes form part of a wider international trend, with cities such as New York and Barcelona tightening rules for private accommodation listed on platforms including Airbnb.

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A peaceful living and educational environment.