Is it legal to rent out a room without registering as a business in Tokyo, Japan?

In Tokyo, Japan, the legality of renting out a room without registering as a business depends on several factors, including the duration of the rental and the type of property involved. For short-term rentals, such as those commonly listed on platforms like Airbnb, the Japanese government has implemented the Minpaku law, which regulates private lodging services. Under this law, homeowners must register with the local government and obtain a permit if they wish to rent out their rooms or homes for short stays (less than 30 days). For long-term rentals, different regulations may apply, and typically, these do not require registration as a business unless the scale of operations reaches commercial levels.

Trivia: The Minpaku law was introduced in Japan in 2018 in part to address the accommodation shortage anticipated during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, allowing more private homeowners to legally participate in the short-term rental market.