🏠 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.

The number of 'Special Zone Minpaku' in Osaka City has exploded, accounting for over 90% of the national total (a total of 6,696 facilities as of July 2025).
However, this has led to a concentration of resident complaints and social conflicts:

Problem Type Number of Complaints (2024 Fiscal Year)
One-night stays (not allowed in principle) 196 cases
Littering and unauthorized use of resident garbage disposal sites 103 cases
Late-night noise (e.g., pulling suitcases, parties) 87 cases
Other complaints (total) 399 cases

Osaka City Government believes that noise and garbage issues have become the biggest social conflicts related to 'Special Zone Minpaku.'

• The city government plans to finalize the specific timeline by November 2025;
• It is expected that the suspension of new applications will officially begin as early as May to June 2026;
• For applications already submitted or in preparation, a certain grace period will be given;
• If issues are resolved and regulations are improved in the future, there is still a possibility of reopening.

⏳ Current stage: Osaka City is adjusting the specific details of the 'suspension of acceptance' policy.

Osaka City will establish a 'Nuisance Minpaku Eradication Team (迷惑民泊根絶チーム)' from November 2025,
conducting comprehensive investigations of all permitted Special Zone Minpaku, including:
• Business status surveys
• On-site inspections
• Revocation of permits or suspension of operations for improper operators

The team's goal is:

To completely eliminate nuisance minpaku and restore community peace.

Some experts believe this is indeed a 'policy turning point'.
Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama stated after the meeting:

"The country aims to be a tourism-oriented nation, planning to welcome 60 million foreign tourists annually.
Special Zone Minpaku have made significant contributions, but residents' concerns are equally serious.
We must temporarily halt new applications to overhaul the regulatory system."

This means—Osaka City is attempting to rebalance between
'tourism development' and 'residential peace'.

As of now (October 2025), applications can still be submitted, but there has been a 'rush to apply (駆け込み申請)':
• Over 200 applications per month on average for 5 consecutive months
• More than 1000 applications backlogged and not yet processed
• Processing wait time is approximately 2 months

Therefore, if the policy is officially implemented, all pending applications may be suspended.

This policy adjustment is closely related to investors applying for the 'Business Management Visa'.
Current visa conditions:
• Capital of at least 5 million yen
• Or hiring 2 or more full-time employees

However, the Japanese government is considering raising the threshold to '30 million yen + 1 employee'.
At the same time, Osaka's suspension of new 'Special Zone Homestay' applications will also cause some people who originally planned to start a business through homestays to lose their foothold.

🚨 Tip: If you want to immigrate to Japan through the Business Management Visa,
it is recommended to seize the last window period before the system adjustment.

The Osaka city government has stated that
if core issues such as 'noise, garbage disposal, and neighborhood disputes' are improved,
and a sound regulatory system is established,
it does not rule out the possibility of reopening applications.

However, in the short term (at least until mid-2026), it is almost certain:

New applications for 'Special Zone Homestays' in Osaka City will be completely frozen.