🏠 Osaka City Suspends Acceptance of New Applications for "Special Zone Minpaku" Q&A Full Explanation

"Special Zone Minpaku" (Japanese: 特区民泊) is a special system established by the Japanese government to address the shortage of accommodation facilities and promote tourism development, based on the "National Strategic Special Zones Law."
In designated areas (such as Osaka City, Ota Ward in Tokyo, etc.), the government has relaxed some restrictions of the Hotel Business Law, for example:
• No need to set up a front desk (ordinary hotels require a front desk)
• The number of accommodation days can exceed the 180-day limit specified by the new Minpaku law
• However, it must be for guests staying for 2 nights and 3 days or more

This system was originally intended to attract more foreign tourists (Inbound tourism), especially to cope with the peak accommodation demand before the Osaka-Kansai Expo.