Trash and Noise

Tokyo tourist hotspot Shinjuku will impose a ban on more than half of its holiday rentals including homes on Airbnb after a surge in complaints about visitors, an official said Monday. Known for its buzzing commercial and entertainment district, Shinjuku has around 4,000 short-term rentals -- nearly 10 percent of Japan's total.

Its large residential population has become increasingly exasperated with tourists who fail to properly dispose of rubbish, smoke where they are not supposed to and make too much noise. "As the number of private lodging businesses has risen, complaints and troubles around them have increased," a Shinjuku official told AFP.

2,000 properties face closure

More than 50 percent of short-term rentals in Shinjuku face a ban under the new rules, likely resulting in the closure of around 2,000 properties. The plan will formally be announced by the Shinjuku mayor on Tuesday.

Japan aims to attract 60 million foreign tourists by 2030, up from 42 million in 2025, but overtourism has emerged as a major challenge. "Many complaints are about the violation of trash disposal rules while others include smoking and trespassing," the official said. Masaru Sato, a 70-year-old Shinjuku resident, said: "This area gets dirty because the way they dispose of trash is very messy."