Japan is not a cheap country and if you look at hotel rates online, many are pretty expensive for what they offer. This has allowed services such as Airbnb to thrive where they aren’t quite as restrictive compared to hotels in terms of number of guests, and for the most part are bigger and more affordable.However did you know that for the most part Airbnb was considered somewhat illegal? That was the case until recently where the Japanese government has finally legalized services such as Airbnb. What this means is that home-owners will now be legally able to rent out their property to guests for up to 180 days a year, although there could be additional restrictions depending on local authorities whom they will have to register with, according to a report from Bloomberg.
No doubt the 180 day limit is rather short, especially for Airbnb hosts who might have homes designated specifically for Airbnb and who are planning to rent them out the entire year, but we guess it’s better than running on “illegally” and getting in trouble when caught. This is also why in the past many Airbnb hosts in Japan have advised guests to say they’re friends or relatives when neighbors ask.
In a post on the Airbnb website, “This is great news for the thousands of Japanese residents already hosting on Airbnb and provides much-needed clarity and certainty for locals who want to earn additional income by sharing their extra space with travellers from around the world. We warmly welcome the legislation, which is clear, simple and easy to understand, while reflecting Japan’s local needs.”