OSAKA—Osaka city on Sept. 30 decided to suspend the application process for operations of Tokku Minpaku private lodgings following rising resident complaints about rule-breaking, noise and litter by guests.
The starting date of the suspension will be determined by November. A grace period will be provided in consideration of accommodation facilities that are already preparing to open, the city government said.
The city made the decision at a meeting of its project team tasked with addressing issues related to the Tokku Minpaku system. The municipality said it may resume the application process if the problems are resolved.
The Tokku Minpaku system was introduced under the National Strategic Special Zones Law to accommodate the growing number of foreign tourists visiting Japan.
These lodging facilities, often private homes, are exempt from Hotel Business Law stipulations in designated areas approved by governors or mayors.
For example, hotels and inns are required to have a front desk, but Tokku Minpaku facilities are not.
While regular “minpaku” accommodations under the Private Lodging Business Law can operate only up to 180 days per year, Tokku Minpaku lodgings have no such limit.
However, Tokku Minpaku can only accept guests who stay for at least two nights and three days.
Residents living near these accommodations have increasingly complained about the behavior of the guests.
Last fiscal year, Osaka city received 399 complaints related to Tokku Minpaku, including 196 about one-night stays, which are generally prohibited.
Other complaints included 103 about improper use of residential garbage disposal sites and 87 about noise from rolling suitcases late at night.
During the Upper House election in July, several candidates emphasized the need to address problems related to overtourism.
In August, the Osaka Ryokan Association submitted a request to abolish the Tokku Minpaku system in the prefecture.
In response, Osaka city, which established a project team on Tokku Minpaku issues in July, accelerated its review of the system.
The city also plans to enhance its guidance to existing private lodging facilities.
In November, it will form another team to investigate all Tokku Minpaku facilities, including on-site inspections, and could revoke certifications for inappropriate operations.
“The central government aims to attract 60 million foreign visitors annually as part of its tourism strategy,” Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama said after the Sept. 30 meeting. “While the Tokku Minpaku system contributes significantly, it also raises many concerns among residents.”
He added, “Strengthening regulations is necessary, and we want to pause new applications to reorganize our system.”
Eight local governments nationwide have adopted the Tokku Minpaku system, including Osaka Prefecture, Tokyo’s Ota Ward and Niigata city. More than 90 percent of the accommodation facilities, or 6,696, were concentrated in Osaka city as of July.
APPLICATION RUSH
According to Osaka city, more than 200 monthly applications for Tokku Minpaku were submitted for five consecutive months up to July. More than 1,000 were still awaiting processing, which takes about two months.
The increase in applications was likely due to heightened demand for lodging during the Osaka Kansai Expo and remarks by Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura and Mayor Yokoyama about a possible suspension in the application procedures.
OSAKA PREFECTURE SURVEY
Twenty-seven of 34 municipalities in Osaka Prefecture, including Ibaraki and Fujiidera cities, expressed support for halting applications to open Tokku Minpaku, according to a prefectural government survey released on Sept. 30.
Kadoma and Moriguchi cities indicated they would restrict areas eligible for such private lodging, while Izumisano, Kaizuka and Habikino cities said they would not change the Tokku Minpaku system, the survey showed.
The survey excluded ordinance-designated cities such as Osaka and Sakai cities, as well as seven core cities, including Yao.
(This article was compiled from reports written by Hayato Murai and Juntaro Oka.)
AloJapan.com