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Unlicensed lodgings remain listed on Airbnb after new law takes effect

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What is the point of this new and pointless change? Can someone explain?

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Regulation and looking after your chums.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Good, laws are laws. This isn't only a Japan thing.

The only people who would have gripes against unregulated rental properties like Airbnb are those who never had to live next to unregulated rental rooms, with unruly guests who have no concept of respect for others.

-2 ( +8 / -10 )

The only people who would have gripes against unregulated rental properties like Airbnb are those who never had to live next to unregulated rental rooms, with unruly guests who have no concept of respect for others.

The regulations won't stop those 'pesky foreigners' from coming - if that is what you are inferring. As you are aware, AirBnB will continue. It will just hurt the pocket and earning potential for many Japanese property owners who can't meet the new requirements, or for whom it is no longer viable.

6 ( +11 / -5 )

I do enjoy using Air BnB, but I understand the detractors. An unending stream of strangers moving in and out next door would be a security problem, and probably bring noise (or other) problems as well.

Even as a user, there are risks. A previous tenant could make a copy of a key, for example, and then rob subsequent tenants. Without a doubt, hotels offer better security, and more recourse if something does fo wrong.

Whatever regulations one makes about this, there will be unhappy people.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

yes everyone out there is looking to rob you of your little used clothes....

I never had a person take anything that doesnt belong to them and more than one left me unopened wines, sweets and a couple even decided to buy bicycles because renting em in tokyo over a week is cost prohibitive and just left them for me....

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Well, AirBnb sucks, and shifting the onus to the government is par for the course. AirBnb said “"If (the government) makes us aware of any listings with inaccurate registration details, we will remove them immediately,"

No, just add a field in the database which can be populated with a number. No number, listing goes offline.

"We are also working hard to remove listings that do not appear to have a legitimate registration number."

BS. They could if they want to. They are seeing how far can push the government. Typical AirBnb. Cheats.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

I don't think a few bad apples should ruin a whole private rental sharing industry. Most AirBnB experiences are positive, including mine.

If a complaint comes in about a specific listed property by a nearby residence then AirBnB should be required to investigate the situation and de-list that property if the complainer isn't satisfied with the outcome.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Shame AirBnB don't work so hard to remove listings from unscrupulous owners offering sub standard accommodation that was very different from their description. My brother and his family recently stayed in a house in Kyoto booked through Air BnB. It was disgusting, had no furniture, just mattresses, and no utensils in the kitchen. The shoji were leaning up against the wall and the tatami had holes in it. Dusty and dirty. Was still on the listings a month later, despite complaints.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

I love AirBnB and have used it several times. Have a place in Osaka we like to go to, owned by a lovely non-japanese who makes her rules known before renting. We totally feel at home in the apartment and have even made friends with some of the neighbours.

Sadly, despite it being a modern and clean place, her listing was denied by the Japanese government as unsuitable. Personally I think the new regulations are, like most things beaureaucratic here, a complete load of biased BS.

We'll continue to rent the apartment when in Osaka with or without AirBnB.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Price fixing is illegal in Japan, but is never enforced, as you can plainly see whenever you go to a movie theater. Smoking on sidewalks and such is also illegal, yet people who smoke on the sidewalks and such are never cited or fined. I wonder if the Japanese government will enforce the new lodging laws as selectively as they enforce others?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Shame AirBnB don't work so hard to remove listings from unscrupulous owners offering sub standard accommodation that was very different from their description

A friend of mine (and 2 of her friends) rented such a place in Kyoto. It was so nasty, they left the next morning and got a hotel (and then another AirBnB unit). She wrote a critical but completely fair review to warn other guests, and her account was mysteriously locked a few days later. Since it was almost impossible to contact anyone at AirBnB, even to get an explanation for why the account was deleted, she finally just made a new account. But she'll think twice before leaving another critical review, which isn't good for the service in general.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

This seems just another emotional reaction against opening the society to foreigners "too quickly." It is consistent with the absence of any meaningful fair housing law for non-Japanese. Housing discrimination is accepted. Where I used to live, the building management had more trouble with the behavior of some Japanese residents rather than foreigners. I find this similar in attitude to the way many white-dominated neighborhoods in the U.S. tried to keep out minorities in the past. The social stance in Japan is still quite insular, unfortunately.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

A friend of mine (and 2 of her friends) rented such a place in Kyoto. It was so nasty...

And that's just one anecdote. I have another one in stark contrast to yours regarding one of my stays in Kyoto. Amazing place, conscientious owner and here's the real kicker... a fraction of the price any booked out hotel would offer me.

If you want all the freshly bleached bed sheets, small shoe box room and high-rise brick wall views (at a fine price), no one would ever stop you from going to a hotel. The recent turn of events on people independantly looking for an alternative to that though...

2 ( +6 / -4 )

I was very suspicious of the fact that Airbnb listings were cut to around 13,000 while other news was reporting that only 1000 hosts had obtained license as of a week or so ago. I guess Airbnb doesn't want to admit defeat.

I guess the government also believes that rakuten and other Japanese run home-sharing sites will become the platforms world travellers will start using it its place. The only thing this country hates more than foreigners is getting beat by foreign businesses on their own turf.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Hotels should up their prices now that the Competition has gone

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Airbnb Inc said Thursday that it is still removing "thousands" of listings from its website for unlicensed private lodgings in Japan, as required under a new law that took effect last week to cope with a sharp increase in foreign visitors and a consequent shortage of hotel rooms

Oh, yes! That’s perfect Japanese logic. The website has to delete thousands of lodgings after Japan changed the laws to cope a sharp increase in foreign tourists and a shortage of hotels. Eh?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

So if they know which ones are unlicensed, why are they still shown ?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Love airbnb. Stayed in Okinawa, whole house, parking and good location. Very clean.

i have an Airbnb, spent my life savings to make it nice. But city council came round one day and closed it down. Luckily I have veggie garden to get food now. If I can come up with 200,000-300,000¥ I can start again before next year. But how can I get it?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Thanks to this article now all Air B'n'B hosts now know how to creat a false registatration number :-) the debacle continues....

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Almost 75% of visitors to Japan are Chinese (including Taiwanese and overseas Chinese) and Koreans. They will find ways to tap into the unregistered minpaku so the new enforcement will only affect the portion of the remaining 25% who have been using AirBnb. The rampant lawlessness likely to result is going to be much like what occurred after the banning of alcohol by the US Congress in 1919.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

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