Why Airbnb Is In Trouble In Japan | ASIAN BOSS

[@xxnike0629xx]

So they claim that it's a safety issue, but really it's probably an issue of money for the hotels. Shame.

[@mirianv4656]

I live in japan and the hotels are surprisingly expensive and the airbnb prices were very competetive and more comfortable.

[@DylanRoberts7]

Yeah airbnb was so cheap compared to hotels. I've never been to Japan but since it's such a developed country and so popular for tourists I can assume that a decent hotel was $100-$200 USD, whereas a decent airbnb could be literally anywhere between $30-$100 USD. The new laws really are going to negatively effect the tourists who wanted to experience raw Japanese culture because the people staying in cheap airbnb's that are $20-$50 are no longer able to travel to Japan because many of the airbnb's in that price range would of closed down due to the new law. Just a shame in my opinion.

[@blighticus]

There's nobody going to Japan to exploit Japanese women through sex tourism. This isn't Thailand or The Philipines.

[@kotokochiharu7210]

blighticus probably he was referring to the murder case happened in minpaku in osaka, involving a foreigner and local girl. Not saying that this happens alot.

[@wind7519]

xxnike629xx Well, actual Japanese residents are entitled to their worries and concerns of seeing random stranger foreigners floating around their building every other day. They are the actual people who live there, so obviously they have much more of a say in such matters. Not saying I agree with it, but it's completely understandably.

[@TheRealityofFake]

I do think there needs to be a limit to how many days a property can rent themselves out. Otherwise, it destroys the housing market because people are removing houses as residences for the locals, and making them into hotels for tourists.

[@Isoviaergatis]

Airbnb has skyrocketed regular rents for city residents all around the world.

[@leeboonkang2]

Japan is definitely going to feel the hit on the revenue from tourist. Housing is one of the most expensive part of travelling and airbnb is suppose to relieve that and allow tourist to spend more of their money on the actual experiencing of the country culture and products. Now that airbnb got hit so bad, the amount of tourist would definitely plummet and theres a pretty high chance they will edit the law in the future to be more lenient becos they lost all those tourism revenue. Personally, i have ideas of going japan for my next holiday but looks like thats not going to happen.

[@FeeDBacKMKII]

watch out for hostels they are much cheeper then hotels and still confortable and mostly more central

[@BH-ix7nq]

LamboKang i agree 100% hopefully they figure out the kinks before the Olympics

[@timotravel150]

I agree. I went to Japan last year and stayed in an airbnb. I wanted to go back this year but because it's much harder to find a cheap accommodation due to the lack of listings I decided to go to a different country instead.

[@eminealmadani4897]

Same for me😥

[@chibikarla]

ehhh hostel is a no go for me, don't like sharing my space with strangers

[@LionUniverse14]

Air Bnb also makes the renting market prices surge. I've seen it in my city. It's more profitable to rent properties for Air bnb customers than they can earn from renting locals that want to actually live there.

[@Frank22164]

That isn't an argument. 1. Businesses that employ people make rents higher, should we ban them? 2. Supply of housing is limited by zoning laws and over regulations, that makes rents higher. 3. You will lose tourists if you ban AirBnB. 4. Roads make rent higher, ban them? 5. Utilities make rent higher, ban them? If you don't want higher rents then live in a log cabin 100 miles away from civilization, your rent will be $100 a month.

[@multeyemeteor]

I've used Airbnb quite a bit, and I like the basic idea (maybe because I've been fairly lucky), but it definitely needs to be regulated, as some hosts are pretty ruthless. It also breeds a culture of people considering their homes as a source of income, which can completely screw up the economy and overall stability of an area on many levels. I doubt it is healthy for the local area in terms of things like safety, stability, knowing your neighbors, and maintaining some sort of balance between rent and income, not to mention encouraging people to buy up housing just for renting it out, which is a pressing matter in cities that already has issues with lack of homes for students or just in general. It's great to have an alternative to hotels and hostels and a more modern version of guest houses, but airbnb is at best a cheap room or apartment for a short stay, and at worst a safety hazard and an easy way for the host to make money without having to live up to all the standards that other proprietors of accomodation have to follow. Even if Japan's minpaku law is too strict and is actually constricting the business as a whole, some sort of regulation needs to be in place for every country.

[@Minmin-jy1gq]

^ This. All of this.

[@quantumeseboy]

How hard is it to figure out that the hotel industry is behind this??

[@soyoltoi]

Since no evidence has surfaced, very hard. It's easy to assume that hotels lobbied Japanese lawmakers, but it's probably more complicated than that, especially since just last year, Japan mandated its home-sharing law.

[@TheRealityofFake]

It is mainly hotels, but when Airbnb first tried to come to Japan a lot of people were worried. They didn't want strangers in their residential areas

[@multeyemeteor]

If you look to other countries, you'll see that this is far from the only thing that factors into it. Airbnb is quite harmful to cities that already lack housing for certain parts of the demographic (such as students), and there are numerous reports of airbnb hosts being careless, ruthless, or even abusive. You'd have to be quite selfish and pretty damn penny-pinching not to admit that regulation is needed for airbnb hosts. I like airbnb for sure, but it's downright silly to think that this is just the hotel business trying to bully airbnb out of their domain.

[@soyoltoi]

DriveByBodyPiercer Do you have a source for "it's mainly hotels"?

[@JulioLuciano14]

Quantumese Boy people is naive.

[@VaneKawaii]

I'm not aware about the renting situation in big cities of Japan but here at Dublin/Ireland it's hell. Took me 3 months to find a place to live, everyplace that I went there was a huge line of people (at least 20pple) to see the place. We all discuss that one of the problems is airbnb, there's no place for locals and because of turism Airbnb is growing. I wish Ireland create a similar law here.

[@Rem694u2]

80% of them shut down... Wow, thats a huge loss. I won't be visiting Japan again any time soon then. Airbnb saved me a lot of money. Hotels are way to expensive in Tokyo. :(

[@mydearleader]

Rem sorry, poor tourists are never welcomed in Japan.

[@oOLemonzOo]

Rem if you don't mind me asking, what area in tokyo did you stay? I'll be going later this year and we've booked a place in asakusabashi (since it was cheap) but we're still hunting around in case we find something better.

[@PhilUpOnThis]

oOLemonzOo There's a cheap ryokan in Asakusa called Taito Ryokan, they charge 3000¥ per night, and they have rooms that fit 2, 3, or 4 people.

[@Buddies_official46]

just don't stay in Tokyo lol

[@FractalNayu]

airbnb is the source of crimes... that's natural...

[@diphyllum8180]

AirBnB can be very destructive to the local rental market, artificially driving up prices for people who actually want to live in their apartment, not constantly rent it out. Protecting renters from having to compete with profit-driven opportunists who aren't (or weren't) bound by the same safety regulations as other accommodations is worthwhile. It's not sad for that business to be cracked down upon. Those who make a bit of money on it on the side while also living in their apartment and not simply renting the place to rent out shouldn't be affected by the 180 day limit. Air BnB should never have been a "business" that people rent properties for the express purpose of using, and preventing that is a good thing.

[@DivineHyperion]

Diphyllum this. Too many butthurt emotional comments not seeing the big picture.

[@peko7446]

Chuuni It's all about me, me, me. That's what I've been reading

[@Troph2]

yeah i agree with the 180 days, it limits airbnb to 2 properties, the lighting is over the top though.

[@diphyllum8180]

Agreed. Regulations should avoid interfering with people using the service legitimately, while punishing people who harm the local housing market by abusing the service. The lighting thing seems to do the opposite of that.

[@Twigxz]

I think it’s a good thing because you already hear about bad housing situations in major cities like NYC (Airbnb is buying so many places that rent is exploding for locals) but they should make an exception for privat renting in their own home. I always use Bed&Breakfast in the Netherlands, France or the UK. It’s fun to talk at breakfast or sharing a beer in the evening with the family that lives there.

[@mazzdacon2134]

As a frequent traveller to Japan over the last 30 years I have stayed in all available types of accommodation (even a Buddhist monastery) but in the last 5 years Airbnb exclusively and that has been the best experience ever. It appears the changes to the regulations and the 180 day limit will kill off the minpaku sector and we will all be back in those very nasty business hotels with the tiny, dark and smoky rooms. The best thing about Airbnb is they are non smoking and it is hard to believe that hotels in Japan still allow this filthy and dangerous habit and inflict it on non smokers. Japan, fix this before the Olympics.

[@mazzdacon2134]

Yes you think that would be the solution but the smoke smell permeates the whole hotel and smoking is even allowed in the breakfast room while people are eating. They try to mask the tobacco smell with a deodoriser spray but it still makes me sneeze. Awful.

[@mazzdacon2134]

Well more recent than that, 6 weeks ago I did overnighters in Izumisano and Nagasaki and endured smoke with breakfast. You must stay in a better class of hotel rezargamer and it is good to hear that it is all fixed.

[@W.i.l.l._Nguyen]

I have been using Airbnb since my very first trip to Japan 6 years ago. I have stayed at hotels, capsule hotel and ryokan as well. What I particularly like about Airbnb is the fact that I can feel like i'm living like a local. I try to blend in and as a Canadian with asian background, I managed to do quite well in the past few years (just as long as I don't hold a conversation for more than 30 min since my Japanese language skills are still a work in progress). It was at first a cheaper alternative but later, I don't mind paying more for an experience of living like a local. I would hope to be able to move there one day for a few years. This news is really making me sad but I will still find alternative and try to find other ways to enjoy the city, the culture, chatting with people and especially the food culture there.

[@LivingLife128]

"home sharing" is a crock. most of these " home sharing " have become commecial entities in that they are bought for the sole purpose of renting them out, not for a person living there to make little income renting a room to some guests. to me those that do use rent them out on a full time schedule should comply with the rules of hotels etc. i bet thats why they limit it to 180 days.

[@Ben-mu3ji]

Whyme123 good point because here in Australia there are commercial unit complexes that also sell rooms under airbnb at the same time.

[@Bittinut]

But then, all those "safety" requirements go in the opposite direction. Part of the law impacts those who made a business out of airbnb, and part of the law impact those who did it casually. In the end, host and tourists loose, hotels win..

[@Minmin-jy1gq]

Hotels, motels, ryokans, hostels, basically every pre-airbnb accommodation business wins. Local residents win too. I'm okay with that.

[@Name-jw4sj]

Lmfao at all the pro hotel lobbyist in the comment section.

[@EdPal]

I'm a fan of airbnb. This news is a bit sad

[@rockinchik06]

Me too....I pretty much use it every time I travel ㅠㅠ. I even just looked up the place I stayed at when I was in Tokyo last year, and the Host has taken it down. He was a superhost and I loved his place! I'm so disappointed I can't stay there when I go back.

[@daysjours]

Ed Pal airbnb is a cancer. It has ruined cities making them unaffordable for the people who live there. They've ruined NYC and they are predatory and awful you should read up. The world is being trashed by these "disrupting" tech companies. The native populations pay big time. So tourists get great prices and the citizens get exploited. Research this and you'll not be a fan.

[@rockinchik06]

daysjours u obviously have not been traveling around the world. Sorry, but I completely disagree with u. Airbnbs are the owners right, not the country. They are cheaper and more feasible ways to travel and save money as well as getting to know the locals. Tourists are able to save money on a place to stay and spend more buying and doing things around the country, therefore helping the economy, not big business hotels.

[@ahillmann]

@Sarah Kupka That's quite a tourist-centric view. Of course tourists like Airbnb, but that doesn't mean one can discount the views of the actual residents in cities. What Daysjours is saying about Airbnb is true. In many cities around the world commercial entities have bought up huge amounts of apartments to be used for Airbnbs. That makes it difficult for residents who actually want to live in the cities long-term to find rental properties, especially when several of the big cities have a lack of apartments in the first place. This leads to very high rental prices. The fact that tourists can live in Airbnb apartments for a slightly cheaper price than in hotels, and spend the extra money they save on the services in the city, does not appease the angry citizens who actually want to live in their own city. One has to recognize their feelings on this. The many people who do not work in tourism related industries, and who therefore do not benefit from the little bit of extra money Airbnb guests bring to a city, just want to find rental apartments. They are not happy about the fact that investors hoard apartments for Airbnb purposes, pushing out regular people out of cities, especially when many of the Airbnb apartments stand empty when they are not in use. The people who would like to fulfil their deep need to find a home couldn't care less about the slight financial benefit tourists living in Airbnbs bring. They would rather limit Airbnbs or kick them out completely just so that the rental market would benefit the actual city residents, even if that means losing a few tourist dollars. Private citizens running Airbnbs are not the issue, but the major rental companies with their millions that have stepped into the Airbnb business and taken over huge numbers of apartments resulting in, as Daysjours said, "citizens getting exploited". And whether "Airbnbs are the owners right" or not is purely a legal issue. If a country or city decides to limit the operations of companies like Airbnb, then that's their right. Individuals do not have a absolute right to operate Airbnbs in all countries just because they want to. One doesn't have to be happy about that, but that's how countries work. They create laws all the time to limit certain activities. Also, "big business hotels" are a legal part of the economy, giving jobs and bringing in money, just like all players on the market. They are not some big, bad wolfs compared to nice, little Airbnb owners.

[@EdPal]

Sloth on Caffeine thanks for this insight. Yeah I'm on the tourist-centric opinion because I travel a lot and airbnb has helped me in many ways. Most of the airbnb I stayed are home stay where I get to mingle with the family and hosts. I get to indulge in local living. I also stay in a room in a house and I hardly see how hosts would be willing to accommodate guests for long term stays (like months) or guests willing to stay longer in a house with the entire family, (without total privacy). In that case, those types of airbnb shouldnt be banned but only those who capitalize a lot for airbnb. Like room or apartment build specifically for airbnb. So I guess a good solution is to keep airbnb to the real locals and not for the big capitalist. Just my thought :)

[@elenakanoupaki1478]

I live in Barcelona and here there is a huge problem due to Airbnb. Because there are so many apartments rented through Airbnb rent prices have skyrocketed and it is very difficult to find a place to rent for a long time. There have been many protests but the government is not doing anything

[@Lobos222]

Spain isnt even a "real" country, what do you expect.

[@Maxid1]

@@Lobos222 Man that's funny.

[@BRTxNL]

I work in the hotel industry, and I also have a hotel management degree. I feel like these regulations are definitely necessary. As a hotel you need to comply with tons of safety regulations, whereas AirBnB has almost no regulation. Hotels and AirBnB supply a similar service, yet AirBnB has mostly eluded regulation, so I think it's about time. The 180 day rule makes it so you're not just renting out the place (which also requires a whole lot of regulation). AirBnB has been taking things lightly over the years and so have the people that rent out AirBnB's. I don't disagree with the concept behind AirBnB, but I do feel like it needs to be a level playing field with the other entities in the industry.

[@faizanmckagan2827]

Air bnb is an amazing convinience. Its making hotels think twice about there BS rates

[@saldiven2009]

Much of the hotel's BS rates are because of government regulation, such as requirements to have sprinkler systems, smoke alarms, fire escapes, fire walls, etc. Additionally, the hotels have to pay hospitality taxes and corporate taxes that a private person renting out their home doesn't have to pay.

[@holyfox94]

Staff is expensive.

[@faizanmckagan2827]

Saldi and ev u both have incredible point. However u can get fully furnished everything included. Outstanding hosts and save tons of money. I just booked an apartment too for a month and saved 1600 $ comparing to holiday inn.

[@Minmin-jy1gq]

Even if I don't agree with all of the regulations I still think it's fair. There's been commenters from all over the world talking about how Airbnb has negatively impacted affordable housing for the locals. My country was starting to suffer from the same thing. Our regulations aren't the same as Japan, but Airbnb is treated the same as all other travel accommodations now and we don't have as much of a problem. Good work to the Japanese government for putting their own business, housing and safety concerns first.

[@Miquelalalaa]

Faizan Mckagan What about hostels or actual bnb’s?

[@kageisuke]

This kinda sucks because I'm in the beginning stages of planning a trip to Japan next year and was thinking about a mix of hotels, hostels, and airbnbs, but there's a good reason for them to do it that has nothing to do with hotels complaining: airbnb artificially inflates home/apartment prices and reduces the availability of housing for local people who want to live there. People with enough money will buy out apartments and houses and rent them out 365 days a year. Every time they buy up a place, someone who actually lives and works in the area can't live there. More people searching for places to live mean apartments and houses can charge more because of the demand. Then people who live there can't afford to anymore because the rents have gone up. They move out and the airbnb owners buy those up too and rent them, potentially creating a horrible circle of rising prices and no people actually living in neighborhoods. Just a bunch of tourists. It's happening in major cities in the west. Japan is lucky to have stamped it out before it caused a lot of harm to locals. The regulations like safety lighting and such are excessive to me, but the 180 days a year I'm on board with. If someone is just trying to make a little cash, renting a room out of their house for half of the year still helps.

[@fatibulaxbaudouin881]

Asian boss : as usual you nailed a great subject! One channel within my top 10 on youtube. Thank you for the work!

[@bluasterisk]

The only times I've ever used Airbnb are in Japan even though I'm from America. Honestly this is a real shame, I doubt I would have been able to afford my trips to Japan if it weren't for the low cost of Airbnb. Sharehouses in Japan made up so much of the experience too.

[@carmendelcastillo7724]

Coming in I was wondering if it was affecting the home buying renting process as it has in many other places around the world. Airbnb as great as it is has caused a lot of damage to the already volatile housing market. If its role is to pander to the hotels then that sucks.

[@jamesheng1878]

It’s so frustrating because the actual tourist image has changed nowadays. No longer is it rich people but now people who are flying on a budget thanks to low cost carriers are allowing a wider range of people to travel. While hostel options are available, many people still want be privacy and also they may want to experience what it is like to be in an actual house or apartment in japan away from the glitzy hotel side. Unfortunately Japanese hotels are insanely expensive and guest houses lack the privacy. Airbnb offered another avenue for travellers looking for something affordable and private. Now the Japanese government has taken that away and it’s frustrating to see how they are so against newer ways of business. It’s frustrating to see new ideas halted all the time

[@Minmin-jy1gq]

It shouldn't be halted but it should definitely be regulated. Airbnb is a business. You run a business, you get held to standards. That's how it's supposed to work. Not to mention the fact that other cities (as people have said in the comments) are having troubles with residential property owners opting for airbnb vs long-term rentals because it's more profitable, driving the prices up for people who actually live there. Japan's protecting their interests. They've already had a property bubble burst in the not-so-distant past, they don't need another one.

[@jamesheng1878]

Tatsujiro Kurogane would you pay for an overpriced small room when you’d get more space for half the cost?

[@Larindarr]

I didn’t I tried at one of the cheapest places called Toyo Inn and not even close. Second, for educational purposes, for a prospect in going to college there I needed to see the neihborhood and feel if it was safe, or rude, or calm or full of noise. You can’t do that in an Inn or hotel area. Also I heard from many host complaints in a forum that the main complaint was the people in the neighborhood complaining about forigners beig there because they’re uncomfortable. Just because they are foreigners. The complaints, even if no incidents occured, got louder. Many hosts were frustrated by this. If this is the cultural underlying issue Japan should stop dreaming of the Olympics by now. Or get with the program. Airbnb is not unregulated it has strict rules, and you passport and personal information is obtained as well as that of the hosts. Accountability is certain. But people in Japan still have a small perception regarding this and it is sad.

[@jaysato]

ya a lot of my foreign friends are disappointed with this... the olympics is coming up which means they need to build more hotels...

[@mydearleader]

jaysato raising hotel fee is the first thing to do for government.

[@aivatcosagim]

Got cancelled out by a host. Luckily i quickly found a replacement, slightly more expensive though. At least i was refunded by the first host

[@mehaman3]

The only cheap option is now going to capsule hotels, the big BUT is that you dont have a big space and most of the times you cant experience the local communitys

[@MissVampish]

You also have to check out and check in each day which means either trying to find lockers or hauling luggage with you during the day which from experience is super annoying.

[@vanessaruiz4705]

No, it's not. Capsule hotels are not the cheapest option even.

[@Sayu277]

Most Hostels are quite a good option

[@vivoslibertos]

It's a neighbourhood bully, because the visitor/foreigner doesn't understand the culture of sorting garbage. Also they mad because the visitors laugh at their cat scarified's water pet bottle.

[@haleyv5961]

I had a friend who runs to Japan just for concerts and then flies home promptly thereafter - now she will have to figure out some other accommodation or pay more.

[@PkPvre]

Many European cities are trying to get rid of Airbnb because it reduces the amount of houses locals can live in. Because of that major cities are filled with airbnb houses and thus (drunk, drugged) tourists. This bothers locals of course. They're trying to restrict airbnb here as well.

[@kawaiicurio]

No need to freak out people. Over 90% of Airbnb in Japan were all illegally operated so the government shutting down nearly 80% of Airbnb operators is them doing their job properly. What you have left is legally operated responsible Airbnb hosts in Japan. I don’t know what all the fiasco is or the point of this discussion topic. Wasn’t it all overdue?

[@Minmin-jy1gq]

People are having a cry about it because they don't care about how it affects the locals ~ only that they have to pay more when they come for a visit.

[@DivineHyperion]

alessander this. Selfish fuckheads.

[@peko7446]

alessander thank you for that comment. It's all about them and threatening that they won't be going back or coming to Japan anymore lmao.

[@peko7446]

It doesn't impact my upcoming trip to Japan because I don't use Airbnb and never did during my previous 5 visits to Japan. Plenty of options for accommodations there as long as you do a bit of research online and not necessarily staying in "expensive" big hotels or boutique hotels.

[@didie97310]

This law is a little bit strict for Japan, but it would very good for France for example. I'm french, and for paying my studies, I work as a housekeeper. 100% of my work is cleaning airbnb style appartements. The problem in France is, there're students, families who need houses or an appartements, but they can't because the market of airbnb (or else) take them all. When you know in my city 2/3 of the population are students, that's really unfair. Beside you've got the price which increase everytime !!! Which benefits unscrupulous landlords who rent real estate unfit for habitation at surreal prices.

[@peko7446]

But most commenters don't see the other side. They only see how it has saved them money in accommodations and how this new rule in Japan has inconvenienced them. Forget about the locals who are affected by decreasing number of available rental units because they're being used instead for Airbnb.

[@DivineHyperion]

I don't blame them. Airb&b has had cases where both landlord and tenants abuse contracts.

[@oOLemonzOo]

so is it safe to say that if the airbnb listing has a license/registration number then it's all good to book? I just wouldn't want my accom to be cancelled last minute like the 2 guys in this video

[@rose191991]

oOLemonzOo hello...im suprised that that happend to them...to me ( im going to osaka on 24-th this month) airbnb send very detailed email with all the details..they mention from now on only licnense airbnbs in japan are on site...they will check every owner when they get the license...so i think dont worry...my tip is: book a hostel also - free of cancel on booking and u will be safe

[@rocksyo5623]

mine was cancelled TWICE, which made no sense because one had the license but airbnb still chose to cancel my stay...

[@oOLemonzOo]

Thanks Rose (: Rocksyo - that sucks!

[@chrisfuhs1529]

I was in Japan just when the regulation hit , 4 times something got cancelled by airbnb

[@LocoCocoPops]

This is a shame. I’m playing to come next year and I thought this would be perfect as I’m travelling on my own. I guess getting a guest house is the next best thing?

[@zhubajie6940]

Japan, Korea and Europe are way too expensive to visit unfortunately for the average American. :( This will only increase that. Non-OECD countries seem the only option currently to visit. I understand the balance for housing needs for locals but not all real estate markets are that tight. A more flexible approach instead of blanket one could be applied to different areas.

[@vanessaruiz4705]

well, I am European and I can tell you (although it does not affect you, as an American resident) that traveling to popular cities of US such as New york or LA is waaaaay more expensive than travelling to Tokyo; especifically I am referring to accommodation costs.

[@meneldal]

If you don't mind staying in a hostel, you can sleep for less than $30 a night even in Tokyo. That's pretty cheap.

[@yasaisony]

I have been going to Japan for nearly 30 years. I speak and read fluently so I have no problem searching for places to stay. My wife if Japanese so if it comes down to it, I can stay at her parents place but normally I stay at the typical businessman hotels. I can usually find places for $80 to$100 a night.

[@gary97keren]

Airbnb has always been a gray area in japan, but more to the illegal side, cause the house sharing/minpaku rules have existed for a long time. Airbnb kinda feigned ignorance and the government is just starting to make it stricter now.

[@peko7446]

That's how Airbnb initially works though (gray area) until the local government does something about it like this in Japan. If Airbnb really wanted to follow rules, they should have required that their hosts should have the proper permits for renting out their units/rooms to begin with before listing them.

[@ReijiAoeGirl666]

If people want to rent out rooms in their own appartment because they couldn't afford the rent otherwise...that sounds fine to me. However, AirBnB not only offers couch surfing, but you can also rent your own place, and that puts a toll on locals and the housing market.

[@emilily_25]

while i don't know how I feel about this specific law, i think it's good more regulation is being put on airbnb and homesharing in general. having a registry of airbnb hosts is a useful security measure, and seeing as in many countries (including the US where I live now) there's very little in terms of actual security guarantee with home sharing, i'd say its an important move. not to mention those hosts that buy up multiple properties in the same area just to rent out to airbnb, which ultimately destroys the neighborhood and drives up living costs. putting tourists in a residential area is risky and often disruptive. sure, there's also a question of if the hotel industry is involved, but i still think there's something to be said of the safety risks and the currently lax regulations on airbnb around the world.

[@Kguy548]

My family and I love Japan, having visited 4 times. Capsule hotels are not an option when you have 3 small kids. And regular hotels are not only expensive, they also cannot accommodate all 5 of us, so we have to book 2 rooms. Some rooms are not connecting, so as parents, this makes us worried. There's also the issue of needing to do the laundry so that you get fresh clothes for the kids the next day, and most hotel rooms don't have a washing machine and dryer except shared ones which are a pain to use because you have to wait your turn. Airbnb initially resolved these problems for us, but now that the home-sharing rules have tightened, it looks like it's back to square one for us.

[@kimmer400]

Most of you guys here do not know that there are actually 2 licenses that a property owner can apply for. One is the city license registration number, that is for those where the owner live in the same property. There is also a separate license for the hotels and business act. With that license they are not restricted to renting out to a maximum of 180 days. However this is if the entire property is for renting out only and is an established hotel/hostel. There is also no restriction of the location either. It is not as big a problem as many people as believe it to be!

[@Minmin-jy1gq]

Ahh I didn't know that. Thank you.

[@VivianValeriena]

Maybe bcs the law cracks down the empty units, the one people buy just for renting. That’s why 80% of the listing was taken down. Lots of foreigners want privacy and bigger space to share with more people as a group. So people see this as an opportunity and start to buy the unit, instead of renting spare rooms in their house.

[@EndohMiharu]

I was affected by this. Our airbnb got cancelled a few days before we were flying out and we had to scramble for a hotel. Then our airbnb host messaged us saying we could still stay at her airbnb (I'm guessing she submitted the paperwork already but it didn't reach in time and airbnb just automatically took down tons of japan listings or something?), but then we couldn't cancel the hotel on time so we ended staying with the hotel and paying more. Airbnb did, however, refund us the cost of the stay AND gave us credit for future stays (within a year) equal to the same amount as the cost of our original stay. So they basically gave us twice our money back for the trouble. But it was still extremely inconvenient, and I'm sure our airbnb host was not happy to lose 1.5 weeks of income.

[@chrisfuhs1529]

airbnb cancelled 4 booking of me while i was in japan in june ,it was so inconvient

[@ilsoon0924]

There was an incident that American guy killed Japanese girl in Osaka, in Minpaku recently. I don't know if it was one from Airbnb. After then, News started to question if they need regulations for Minpaku. And in July 2017, Japanese guy host raped Korean girl who was staying in his Airbnb using sleeping pill. She reported to Police in Japan, but they did nothing for her, so it became an issue in Korea. And Korean media found that another Korean girl had the same experience in his Airbnb before and reported to police as well, but the police ignored it, so the host raped another girl. Overall I feel like Japanese government started to think about it after Japanese girl got killed there.

[@haruka6672]

oha safety is also on of the reasons, also political, and money, and how locals feel about those people who kind of makes big mess! It's because of that! Olympic is coming, so government is making rules so that those incidents don't happen! There's both pros and cons to it

[@DonS90]

Really

[@Korruptor711]

It sounds like the police needs regulation in those stories.

[@Larindarr]

The police suck at those cases in Japan. Sexual harassment is not openly talked or accepted as a fact. It is sad.

[@Decebal825]

i cant afford to pay $4-5000 for my family to stay 2weeks in Japan at hotels. the money i would say on cheaper accommodation we would have spent on shopping anyway. to sad for Japan their country is controlled by influential corporations.

[@AussieTVMusic]

airbnb pushes up rental prices for locals. So yeah it's a good thing the govt did.

[@npcimknot958]

AussieTV that happened in canada. also tons of airbnb were so unsafe

[@moonfish3638]

popcorn pop I used to love Airbnb, but it got taken over by greedy people who bought out houses and turned them into hotels. airbnb was meant for people to share their OWN house or apartment, not make a business. I used to use it all the time, now, unless they make some major changes in how it’s run, I’m not so sure.

[@stegeaa]

I visited japan earlier this month and had my AirBnB booked for many months in advance. Literally a week before I would be leaving for the country my host messages me saying that our reservation got canceled. I was so stressed out, but thankfully he said we can still stay at his house for a reduced cost. I think it inconvenienced a lot of people and that Japan will see the repercussions of it from how much money tourists bring in for this year and maybe next year.

[@krissyb5970]

I think people are missing a huge thing here - the renters being protected. I had an AirBNB in Japan for a month last January, and the owner did some really shady things like 1) not list all of her accommodations on AirBNB, so when you signed in with her you were being shoved into tiny apartments. 2) she was misrepresenting the apartments you were getting placed into. i.e. would advertise two-bedroom apartments as one, and then put you with someone else. 3) she would make you sneak in and out the back door of the apartment, and told us not to be seen by the staff if at all possible. She also harassed me about my weight and made me feel uncomfortable, turning up at the AirBNB without notice for seemingly no reason at all. When I called AirBNB, they basically told me that since I had a roof over my head it wasn't really a big enough problem for them to immediately deal with. So I had to tolerate it. So, while no doubt the hotel industry does benefit from this, there are definitely cases where tourists benefit from AirBNB's being properly regulated.

[@MrMendel12]

Funny little good experience as a result of people taking listings off: Booked one in Okinawa, it was cancelled and we got a refund with a voucher. Booked another slightly nicer one for cheaper thanks to the voucher...which also got cancelled. Third time worked out but we ended up not having to pay anything at all because of all the voucher money we got from Airbnb.

[@peko7446]

lol, maybe I should start checking out Airbnb since I'm searching for accommodations in Japan

[@rhyanimahykun]

do a topic on bike sharing industry

[@Friendship1nmillion]

chowdery1234 Asian Boss Yeah I'm {also} curious. I'm wondering how payment is done of hiring a bicycle in China {with the face recognition currency their Citizens have}. Is there a cashless payment option for that for tourists? 🤔🚴‍♂️🇯🇵🇦🇺

[@despairia]

Having some rules and regulations to ensure safety and quality is a positive thing, but I think setting the limit at 180 days will turn off a lot of potential hosts.

[@antimonycup7066]

Tourists typically feel less responsibility for neighbors so putting tourists up in residential areas or residential homes is questionable for that reason alone. For me being able to live next to neighbors you have an enduring relationship with and that feel a responsibility towards you as you do towards them trumps entrepreneurs trying to cash in.

[@cubie30dimh]

Antimony Cup You make a great point that tourists generally feel less responsible for the neighborhood they are staying in, but I would have to disagree with that where it applies to air bnb guests. In all the places my wife and I stayed there were guidelines for behavior. There was a general sense that we were welcome in the homes, but it was not something to advertise to others that we were air bnb guests. And at the end of the day you're a guest in someone's house, not a customer in a hotel room. The distinction between the two is obvious, and hosts that we spoke to agreed that most if not all of their guests act accordingly.

[@antimonycup7066]

I appreciate your perspective but having lived in a street with several airbnb addresses my experiences on the other side of the fence are very different. The overwhelming majority of guests I saw pass through had no respect for their environment or temporary neighbors at all, why would they? They're in a country but for a few moments and anyone they meet they will never meet again. This is why I especially like the 180 day maximum in this proposal, making it impossible to do airbnb the full year round. I feel airbnb should be a temporary thing, in someone's private home, and not a year-round 'cheap hotel by another name' never giving normal citizen neighbors any respite.

[@Minmin-jy1gq]

Are there countries where hotels are the only accommodation that count as a business? People keep on bringing up hotels as the main counterpoint to Airbnb. In my country any accommodation you pay to use can be counted as business. This includes (but is not limited to) Airbnb, campsites, hotels and motels. Airbnb is a business like any other and therefore it should be regulated. That's BEFORE factoring in the impact on the housing market and possible disturbance to surrounding neighbours. People who actually live and work in the area shouldn't have to deal with an increased shortage of available rental properties due to the fact it's more profitable to operate an Airbnb. Neither should they have to run the risk of potentially undesirable tourists in intimate proximity either. All for the sake of your 'cheaper' holiday.

[@PamelaProPeace]

Antimony Cup: Unless you have statistics to back it up you can't just state tourists "typically" feel less responsibility ... I have visited Japan 3 times and each time used airbnb. I didn't do it to save money because as a lone traveller it doesn't work out any cheaper. I did it because I don't want to be cocooned in a hotel. I want to experience real life in Japan. I want to shop in local places amongst the local people, and to cook local foods. I am just as respectful in Japan to my temporary neighbours as I am at home with my permanent ones. And maybe you don't know but airbnb do not just ask guests to review their host, the host also gets to review the guests and these reviews are accessible to home owners. So any bad reviews and those guests would soon find they wouldn't be accepted by other bnb places in the world. (My friends here in Israel run an airbnb and they always check out the guest review before accepting a booking) I am glad to say that I have always had glowing reviews from my hosts. And I am sure that the majority of airnbn guests are like me. It's just the few bad ones that always make the news. p.s. I am sorry you have had bad experiences. I think you should have held the owners accountable. Maybe they took people who had received bad reviews but they didn't care as they wanted the profit? The owners need to take responsibility. (Were they packing large numbers into each unit?) That's where regulations should maybe be tightened up. Cut down numbers per unit. Even if they are a decent bunch of people, mere numbers will make for a lot more noise and disturbance.

[@antimonycup7066]

Tourists 'typically' feeling less responsibility towards their temporary environment doesn't need evidence, it's pretty much common sense. Exceptions do not disprove a trend. And about holding owners responsible, I would have if they had been my actual neighbors, but these were year-round airbnb locations and I got the run-around from the secretary when I tried to contact them. That's why I am *for* government regulation in this case, as the market doesn't care about Joe Schmoe next door.

[@Immzis]

it's like the uk banning uber.

[@wWvWwWvWw]

Noooooo! I always stay at AirBnB in Tokyo! Hotels are crazy expensive!

[@louise7083]

Im watching this from an air bnb in japan haha

[@DonS90]

Thats kinda awkward

[@dafaqu694]

I'm watching this in Airbnb disguising as hotel

[@kholidamsolikhah0373]

Jonghyun

[@alberternambadminton9413]

savage =P

[@susaneberhardt6301]

Same... it's not that serious an issue as I can still find them fine, they will make it work somehow.

[@woorosa]

We we're visiting Japan right after this law was passed so our Air BNB was cancelled but we were able to rent directly from the host with cash. So a little black market may open up. The reason for the government passing the law was partly from the Hotel industry but also neighbors for several reasons one being Japanese addresses are not as easy to navigate so foreigners are asking for directions and that is a bother to some of the neighbors. Another is the neighbors get very bothered if the Air BNB guest mess up sorting out the trash properly, which is confusing to us foreigners. Also since they are a very homogenous society they can be bothered by so many foreigners going in and out of their neighbors residence. I hope this gets reversed because it can serve as good supplementary income for an economically stressed population plus for us tourist is a great way to experience Japan

[@lynniethomas1069]

I would be interested to know if there have been numerous resident complaints from loud and annoying tourists. I can understand residents having concerns.

[@070279381]

Lynnie Thomas too naive

[@lynniethomas1069]

adhi 99 perhaps

[@emilily_25]

idk about how it is in japan, but since airbnb has come up i've seen a lot of residential complaints where i've lived (two different areas, one suburban and one city). i wouldnt be surprised if there was a similar issue in japan, especially in the areas surrounding downtown tokyo

[@Meileehere]

What I know is that the walls in Japan are often paper thin. I would hate it if I always heard new people moving in and out, banging around, being obnoxiously on vacation, and inconsiderate of Japanese manners and not being able to do anything about it or having to repeatedly do something about it every few days. I would always be wary, and not be able to live a peaceful life.

[@pawala7]

Same, this is the only real concern that I found reasonable. Some tourists don't understand how sensitive Japanese are to noise (loud voices and 生活音). Heck, even I hate staying in apartments with noisy upper floor neighbors. Not to generalize, but many foreigners do tend to talk loudly and walk heavy-footed especially if they come from countries where homes are made of thick concrete. Meanwhile, Japanese homes are designed to be earthquake resistant leading to thinner and lighter materials.

[@juniyananajukyu]

I was personally affected by this new law. I had paid for my Airbnb reservation in late May that I was going to stay at, this upcoming September in Tokyo. After about 5 days from when the reservation was made, I was notified by the host that my reservation is no longer valid. What was really upsetting was that the host didn’t voluntarily cancel the reservation but was asking me to cancel on my end, and would only refund a certain amount of my payment. It’s a good thing Airbnb has certain policies and procedures that allowed me to to get all my money back and find a new reservation within a day, and not totally ruining my upcoming trip. Japan needs to step up the accommodation situation especially with the upcoming Olympics. I’ve been traveling to Japan for almost 20 years now and I am seeing more and more foreign tourists these days and not everyone wants to stay in a hotel nowadays. Hopefully the government can work things out to where it isn’t so restrictive.

[@buddhabrand1849]

I'm going to Tokyo in October and it was very hard to decide whether to go with Airbnb or a hotel but thankfully I went with a hotel. Normally, I would choose Airbnb. But after reading about how it was operating in a gray area I decided to not use it.

[@peko7446]

I read about this topic in March so this is no surprise at all as it has been discussed on travel forums way even before that.

[@DSQueenie]

180 days is two weeks and one day every month a year. For legitimate home sharers that would be more than enough days to be out of your home. Only the most extreme traveler is not in their home *that* much. The emergency lighting is more difficult. Perhaps they don’t have to be celling installed? Maybe a dim lamp in your hallway would be enough?

[@Sabotageer]

And there goes my planned trip to Japan *sigh* I'm very envious of my friends who were able to AirBnb before this change.

[@MultiMissLucy]

It's interesting to see two extremes, this one and what is going on in Europe where Airbnb is out of control and cities are now void of actual born citizens.

[@KatimaMulilo]

Didn't Manhattan also cracked down on AirB?

[@Reirae]

Well there goes my hope to visit Japan. I have a super restricted diet due to allergies and intolerances, I wouldn't be able to stay somewhere without a kitchen where I can make my own meals from scratch.

[@vanessaruiz4705]

that does not represent a problem. Most hostels have a kitchen and living room for guests to use.

[@Reirae]

Mara Ram but in hostels you share your room with a bunch of strangers. I'm not a backpacker :P plus I wouldn't want to be separated from my fiancé.

[@Sayu277]

Rei there Single rooms

[@susaneberhardt6301]

So I'm currently traveling in Japan and staying at airbnbs. I've noticed two things, in the major cities (like Tokyo and Osaka) I have to now give my passport photo and register online on a website before staying. I've also noticed that most of the places I've stayed are hostels with private room options (as I don't normally bunk with others anymore). There have been exceptions to all of this in Fukuoka and Okinawa where I don't think the laws are being carried out so swiftly. I also have had better luck in places more out-of-the-way. I've stayed in Japanese style homes turned into hostels and the one i'm in now used to be a hostel and is now a home-stay on Airbnb... but it's on a tiny island.

[@andreagullo1700]

The future of this regulation will undoubtedly depend on the data on the influx of tourists in the country and on the gain (or loss) that this will entail, because if the money is recovered by greater use of hotels it doesn't matter much that there are fewer tourists overall.

[@ThornMage]

I must be old school. I don't like to idea of staying at a stranger's house. I rather go to a hotel. I only stay in a private home if I was friends with them.

[@peko7446]

I don't even like staying at my Japanese friends' houses even when invited because it disturbs them

[@BrandonAEnglish]

There is a much larger impact on the people who are looking for additional means of income than there is on travelers in Japan. It's not hard at all to find reasonable accommodations at a good price in Japan without Airbnb. However, it does become more expensive for families or groups wanting to stay together. Still, the main people getting hit -- unfairly -- are the ones who stand to make some extra money from it. Some light regulation is warranted and understood, but the heavy-handed nature of these new ones scream lobbyists to me.

[@user-yo5yr9yr2h]

One thing that wasn't mentioned with a possible reason for restricting home sharing is that it ruins the housing market. Have a bunch of people or an entire apartment building rented out as airbnb's and you're taking away potential apartment livings from people! Reduce the number of available apartments on the market and the housing prices go way up. This has happened across the US already. Airbnb is not an ethical company.

[@moocaten]

I lived as a local in Japan for 3 months through Airbnb. There’s no way I would be able to afford that with a hotel. Even the cheapest option, a capsule hotel, is often 3 times as expensive as a normal Airbnb, and you have to check out and in daily at those. Completely ridiculous, and I won’t be able to return to Japan because of this new law.

[@Infi4392]

Me and a couple of friends will be visiting Japan this August. We had 3 AirBnB places rented to move around Japan, one of which got cancelled due to the new regulations. Luckily AirBnB was very generous with the issue making us capable of renting a new place without any additional costs.

[@cherylmedeiros6287]

Sad because not only foreigners take advantage of the AirBnB but locals from other parts of Japan would lose out on some cheaper vacations. Being able to cook is a big money saver on vacation

[@utopiachaser3545]

I used to be a resident in Japan , and I'm planning to go back there. It's kind of sad to hear that the regulation would give a bad impact to both airbnb hosts and tourists alike. Well for what it's worth, I hope the government would find the middle ground without hurting the industry, and not for ruining the impression of "tourists' friendly country."

[@delaineyjohnson8238]

I'll be honest, I have an upcoming trip to Japan and if there is an earthquake I've wondered if the airbnb I'd stay in would be safe. From pictures you can't tell what the building is like, and I know for many Japanese residents they recommend certain buildings which cost more to rent because they're either updated or are built especially to endure earthquakes. As a California resident, I've been through many earthquakes and my house is regulated to be safe. However, we don't have emergency lighting in my home and rely on flashlights-- or cell phone flashlights hahahaha! I think Japan gov't regulating these types of things ensures customer safety in the event of anything happening. The recent Osaka earthquake footage and the former Fukuoka earthquake show Japan has very active faults. So, it makes sense. On a side note, in my neighborhood, I think we had an airbnb situation and I would see many people coming in and out of the house. It was very disruptive. At times, we thought there were drug related parties and it wasn't pleasant to my quiet surburb community. Knowing how quiet Japanese culture is, I can understand why they'd also find new people coming in and out of their apartment buildings disruptive. Most, like me, appreciate knowing what to expect when they get home from work or having quiet on the weekends. But, when it's disrupted by a disrespectful renter....the community depreciates.

[@MageThief]

Yay, a Hiroko video ♥ I love the Airbnb way of staying in Japan, feels like having a home to come back to after a long day exploring. When it comes to why I can understand the safety regulations but not the maximum of 180 days, that's just stupid. But then again, you do not have to be smart to be a politician.

[@hirokotv1602]

MageThief yey hehe

[@AZWallbreaker]

A owner can only rent his or her home for 180 days per year??? If you have a popular place in Japan, you are getting screwed!!!

[@llbuitre]

It's hard to find an affordable hotel in Japan. So most tourists go for AirBnb to save money. Like last June, we spent 250 dollars for AirBnb stay for 6 days and the place is for a family of 6. Most hotels in Japan, 250 dollars can only get you a room for two per night. What more the 5 star hotels? So this new development in Japan regarding house sharing will definitely affect the tourism of Japan.

[@Minmin-jy1gq]

Not in a meaningful way, no. Singles, couples and families have been visiting Japan for generations and I think it's pretty reasonable to assume they weren't all rich travelers. Tourism is less than 1% of Japan's GDP and it's not like Airbnb came along and exponentially boosted the industry. People will still holiday there and they've managed to protect their existing businesses along with the housing needs of the citizens, which should naturally take priority over visitors. I might not agree with all of the regulations, but it's fair and it's necessary so Japan did a good thing for their people.

[@Henchman_Holding_Wrench]

Besides all the good guesses from the interviewees, MLIT probably prefers to concentrate the tourist population as well. It's easier to track, survey, and advertise to them if they're all together and in places designed for it.

[@tomhannah3825]

First time hearing about this. I'm guessing that the government is 1. responding to pressure from larger interest groups in Japan, hotels, etc 2. tightening restrictions so local people don't have to put up with unpleasant foreigners 3. "safety concerns" sounds like pressure to buy lots of new lighting and electronic systems 4. the "180 days" rule seems like they don't want foreigners around too much

[@mas921]

This is BS! I stayed at both hotels and AirBNB when I went to japan several times before and AirBnB experience was orders of magnitude more enjoyable and less tense, especially when coming to a drastically different country in language and culture. And it's a global service that the majority of international 2020 visitors would be accustomed to, so I see this as a very short sighted move by them "elderly" law makers. Am really disappointed

[@Minmin-jy1gq]

It saves you money and gives you an enjoyable holiday. Meanwhile it adds to the influx of strangers for the people around your airbnb stay and negatively impacts the rental housing market around the world for the locals. As for Japan specificially, tourism is less than 1% of their GDP and tourism didn't grow exponentially after Airbnb was first introduced, so this won't hurt them. Of course you're disappointed because it doesn't benefit you. On the plus side, it benefits the majority of Japanese citizens by stemming the extra pressure on affordable accommodation for the citizens, means they don't have to deal with the added stress of worrying about extra neighbours and protects the local accommodation industry. Those old people know how to take care of their own.

[@nattsveron9327]

Oh man, I only stay in Airbnbs while in Japan

[@lifetobelived9102]

I think there should be some regulations. My friend booked a bed at a hostel through that site in the U.S. When I looked it up and scrolled through the pages of comments I came across someone saying the hostel had no smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors. I found that they did not lie but they had hidden that information under amenities. In the state it is in that is illegal.

[@meestaShin]

It really sucks for anybody traveling with more than a group of 2 because hotels charge per person in 1 room, so the cost gets pretty high. Capsule hotels are also not fun because you have to be extremely quiet, hear neighbors snoring and you can't have the full experience of pretending you live in Japan for a few days. I've been to Japan many times and my last trip was a little hard to plan because of the extremely limited Airbnb options.

[@rafaellaoishi5887]

wow I didn't know about this issue in japan. thanks asianboss for bringing it up for us foreigners

[@TheBrendaAgenda]

I don't really see how the noise or weekly changing foreigners could be a factor as to why neighbors would complain. In 2015 I was looking for Airbnbs to stay in Japan, every host said in their house rules to keep the noise level down to a minimum and to be mindful of the neighbors during the stay. This new law was put into place because of the hotel companies complaining about losing revenue so they probably bribed the Japanese government to do something about it, since a whole Airbnb house is priced so cheap compared to just a hotel room. When I traveled to Japan in 2016 with my bf, we enjoyed all 3 of our Airbnb stays, it was such a convenient and unique experience! We were able to spend a lot more on shopping, dining, and sight seeing thanks to airbnb! I'm so sad to hear this news...I hope they'll be more lenient in the future.

[@Minmin-jy1gq]

Of course you wouldn't because it doesn't affect you. For most people if it doesn't affect them, it's not a problem. There's lots of comments by others about how it's negatively impacted on their lives as residents but you clearly didn't read them. It's an economic and business move that benefits existing Japanese business concerns as well as their citizens. My country took similar measures very early on too. The needs of the many outweigh the concerns of the few.

[@dokdoislandkorea]

People say it's hard to live in Japan because prices are too high.

[@ModPlaythruChannel]

I've heard on fb. Airbnb started to ruin certain neighborhoods, both in NA and JP.

[@madeleinewong3475]

We lost two weeks of reservation when we were traveling in Japan last minute due to this law change, but Airbnb refunded us x2 in credit, with bonus credit in experiences so our re-booking was completely free :) We spent more money on food and everything else as a result

[@lamarozzo]

I think these new laws will have a real impact on the number of tourists in Japan. Especially in some periods (like the cherry blossom blooming, or the autumn leaves falling) there is a real shortage of hotel rooms in Japan. Before AirBnB, on at least two occasions I remember having to give up visiting Kyoto because there was literally no room left anywhere in the city.

[@birdmadboy26]

I’m in Japan currently and we had issues coming here with our Airbnb’s because of this law. We lost both our places in Osaka and Tokyo and although we booked months in advance. We only booked the places we have now about a week in advance which stressed us out! We also had to pay more which was not fun

[@shirofong7955]

Thank you for letting us know. Making things harder for Airbnb is quite uncall for but we will see.

[@nicolesenpai9961]

Actually my airbnb reservation just got cancelled because the host was unable to get the license in time. It was incredibly inconvenient. However, we did get refunded and compensated by airbnb. So, yay on them. We ended up getting a hostel reservation. So, cheaper accommodations and a new experience. I do think some of the safety requirements for the new law is a little excessive considering that I see airbnb as sharing someone's home or being able to experience living in an average home. It could have some benefits, but generally sucks for people looking for that kind of experience.

[@DopeWitchKira]

Thanks for the update, gotta go fix my travel plans now

[@Bliu2th]

This happened to me, I booked my room on Airbnb months in advanced and had contact with my host. Then one day he never messaged me back, I was confused until Airbnb sent me an email. I understand that the government is regulating for safety reasons (maybe there were lobbyist too) so I'm not that mad

[@FeeDBacKMKII]

i was never using AirBnBs mostly hostels the price is very similar but they are more central and you meet interessting people there

[@TheRandomRoxy]

I don't like the idea of airbnb, when i travel i want comfort and no stress and only a hotel and give that to me

[@lucasvinzon8943]

Limiting how many days houses are allowed to rent out is actually pretty good in my opinion, puts out of business houses that were bought strictly for airbnb renting and had nobody actually living in there, which rose housing prices around the world. Weird move but actually good.

[@cicciolibe]

I went last year to Japan and have been able to find really cheap Airbnb apartments for my and my girlfriend in the centre of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. I've been recommending Japan to everyone since then, because nowadays you really have the opportunity to enjoy a vacation in that beautiful country spending less money than in Europe. I had the feeling hotels were pretty expensive though, and this new law can really change the perception of Japan for tourists and make it unaffordable again for many couples that don't feel like sleeping in a capsule hotel or sharing a room in an hostel.

[@barisgurel11]

I will do a clinical observership in Japan for 7 weeks, starting from 16th of June. And my flight is on this thursday. However my Airbnb reservation got cancelled 2 days ago because of this law(I made my reservation 6 months ago!). Right now I have no place to stay. I mailed with my host and he said that I can stay in the place but I don't know if I should trust him or not. It seems like my only option right now. Other homes and hotels are too expensive for an university student like me.

[@dkdkmkn]

when i was trying to book an airbnb around tokyo last few months, i was left without much choices for an ideal place based on price, location and room size. i really hope they can make the law a bit less strict after the Olympic, if that's one of the reason