Tokyo's Shinjuku to Ban More than Half of Vacation Rentals
The ward said complaints rose 40% as it moves to curb trash, smoking and trespassing linked to vacation rentals.
- On Tuesday, officials in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward announced plans to ban short-term rentals in residential areas and near schools, affecting over 50 percent of the ward's nearly 4,000 lodgings.
- Complaints from residents regarding vacation rentals surged to 1,334 in fiscal 2025, up from 82 in 2021, driven by reports of tourists violating trash disposal rules, smoking, and trespassing.
- Shinjuku's policy uniquely applies to existing properties, a rare regulatory move following July guidelines from the Japan Tourism Agency that authorized municipalities to restrict lodgings threatening community stability.
- Officials have already revoked licenses for five operators and 15 facilities since December 2025, barring them from business for three years, while the ward will provide a grace period for existing operators to wind down.
- Shinjuku's crackdown mirrors global efforts to regulate platforms like Airbnb, with restrictions in New York City and Barcelona, while Japan's Kyoto is also considering bans on new short-term rentals in residential areas.
14 Articles
14 Articles
The neighborhood, one of the major urban centres in Tokyo, known notably for its nightlife district of Kabukicho, hosts nearly 10% of the 42,000 short-term rentals registered in Japan. However, some residents are overwhelmed by the influx of tourists, some of whom do not respect the rules of waste sorting, smoke in banned areas or cause noise nuisances. A Shinjuku official in charge of supervising tourist rentals told AFP that the borough was "p…
Radio France Internationale
Tokyo's Shinjuku to ban more than half of vacation rentals
Known for its buzzing commercial and entertainment district, Shinjuku has around 4,000 short-term rentals, according to the ward's official website. That is nearly 10 percent of Japan's total. But its large residential population has become increasingly exasperated with tourists who fail to properly dispose of rubbish, smoke where they are not supposed to and make too much noise. A Shinjuku official supervising holiday rentals told AFP that the …
Shinjuku Ward in Tokyo is preparing to ban more than half of its short-term rental accommodations, including homes rented through Airbnb, after a approximately 40% increase in complaints from residents.
The Straits Times
Free Malaysia Today NewsTokyo’s Shinjuku to ban more than half of vacation rentals
The Shinjuku ward hosts nearly 10 per cent of Japan’s 42,000 short-term rentals. Read more at straitstimes.com.
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