There's been much talk about the new minpaku (private lodging) law that went into effect June 15.
For several years now, minpaku owners have operated in a gray zone, renting out their spare rooms and houses via online accommodation websites such as Airbnb while Japanese authorities tried to figure out what to make of the burgeoning home-sharing business. With a growing urgency for more rooms, minpaku lodgings were a godsend for both guests and a country that has been caught woefully unprepared to receive them.
So when the government finally decided to recognize private lodgings and allow them to become legal entities, entrepreneurial souls rejoiced. Much to their disappointment, however, becoming legally licensed to operate had a caveat: increased paperwork and stricter rules that made it much more difficult to qualify. Many disheartened minpaku owners have had to shelve their nascent business endeavors.
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