Many people are surprised to learn that foreigners can legally own property in Japan and operate it as a short-term rental—even if they do not live in Japan. That part is true. The catch is that "can" comes with a specific set of legal requirements, and one rule in particular catches many overseas owners off guard. Here's what short-term rental licensing for foreign owners in Japan actually involves. The Good News: Foreigners Can Own and Operate Short-Term Rentals Japan does

If you have spent any time researching whether to run an akiya as an Airbnb, you have probably come across the phrase "180-day rule." It sounds straightforward. In reality, the details matter, and those details are where many buyers get caught out. Here's what the Minpaku 180-Day Rule actually means. Where the Rule Comes From The cap comes from Japan's Housing Accommodation Business Act (住宅宿泊事業法), which took effect in June 2018. Before this law, short-term rentals existed in

It's one of the most common reasons people contact me about akiya: buy a cheap vacant house, list it on Airbnb, and let Japan's record tourism numbers help pay for it. It's a reasonable idea. But the honest answer to whether you can legally Airbnb an akiya in Japan is: Sometimes yes. Sometimes no. And it depends on far more than whether the house was cheap. The Minpaku Law Made Short-Term Rentals Legal Short-term rental accommodation was legalized across Japan in 2018 under t