- 14 Mar 2002
- 21,057
- 18,914
I remember when AirBNB popped up, there were many similar cases across Europe (and much concern in Japan, too). I can certainly sympathise with the residents:
A private tourist lodging facility in Tokyo's Kita Ward has been causing trouble in a quiet neighbourhood near Oji Station. When an old lady vacated her detached house, the property was sold to a developer who erected an apartment building. It was later sold to a real estate agency, which converted it into a "residential accommodation business".
Since then, the residents of the formerly sleepy cul-de-sac have been subjected to noisy tourists checking in well after the 10 p.m. curfew. They complain that guests sometimes arrive around 1 a.m., dragging their suitcases and making a rumbling sound that echoes throughout the neighbourhood. At other times, guests hang out in front of the facility around midnight, laughing, chatting and discarding their cigarette butts on the road. Local children used to play on that private road but stopped showing up.
Despite receiving numerous complaints from residents about the accommodation facility, the public health centre is legally obligated to issue a business license as long as the operator meets the requirements. While the centre has advised the real estate company to address resident concerns, the company is not legally compelled. An official from the centre acknowledged the difficulty of balancing resident concerns with the needs of businesses, stating that the local government is limited in what it can do. While not opposed to tourists, residents express concerns about the facility's impact. At least one tourist staying at the facility expressed hope for resolving the situation. The facility operator hasn't responded to requests for comment.
A private tourist lodging facility in Tokyo's Kita Ward has been causing trouble in a quiet neighbourhood near Oji Station. When an old lady vacated her detached house, the property was sold to a developer who erected an apartment building. It was later sold to a real estate agency, which converted it into a "residential accommodation business".
Since then, the residents of the formerly sleepy cul-de-sac have been subjected to noisy tourists checking in well after the 10 p.m. curfew. They complain that guests sometimes arrive around 1 a.m., dragging their suitcases and making a rumbling sound that echoes throughout the neighbourhood. At other times, guests hang out in front of the facility around midnight, laughing, chatting and discarding their cigarette butts on the road. Local children used to play on that private road but stopped showing up.
Despite receiving numerous complaints from residents about the accommodation facility, the public health centre is legally obligated to issue a business license as long as the operator meets the requirements. While the centre has advised the real estate company to address resident concerns, the company is not legally compelled. An official from the centre acknowledged the difficulty of balancing resident concerns with the needs of businesses, stating that the local government is limited in what it can do. While not opposed to tourists, residents express concerns about the facility's impact. At least one tourist staying at the facility expressed hope for resolving the situation. The facility operator hasn't responded to requests for comment.