Shinjuku rental ban may close 2,000 properties

Tokyo's Shinjuku ward plans to ban private lodging in residential zones and areas near schools, a move an official said is likely to close around 2,000 short-term rental properties.

The tourist hotspot has about 4,000 short-term rentals, nearly 10 percent of Japan's total, according to the ward's website. A Shinjuku official supervising holiday rentals said more than half of the district's short-term rentals face a ban under the planned rules.

The official said the plan would be formally announced by the Shinjuku mayor on Tuesday and would apply to existing rentals. The district has seen rising complaints from residents about visitors failing to follow rubbish disposal rules, smoking where they should not and making noise.

The official said complaints over vacation rentals in Shinjuku rose by around 40 percent in the fiscal year to March. Japan's Tourism Agency in July gave municipalities the right to regulate short-term lodgings when they threaten a tranquil living and educational environment or hinder the maintenance of a permanent population and local community.

Kyoto is also considering a ban on short-term lodging, but only for new rentals within residential and industrial areas. Japan aims to attract 60 million foreign tourists by 2030, up from 42 million in 2025, while overtourism has become a challenge in several popular destinations.