Private Lodging Business Act

The purpose of this Act is to secure the proper operation of private lodging businesses, private lodging management businesses, and private lodging intermediary businesses by persons running them, and to facilitate the visits and stays of domestic and foreign tourists while fulfilling their need for lodging in a proper manner, thereby contributing to the stabilization and improvement of the lives of the people and the development of the national economy, through taking measures for establishing a notification system for persons running private lodging businesses and a registration system for persons running private lodging management businesses and private lodging intermediary businesses, in view of the situation surrounding tourists' lodging in Japan.

①The term "residence" as used in this Act means a residence that meets all of the following requirements:

②The term "lodging" as used in this Act means using facilities while using their bedding.

③The term "private lodging business" as used in this Act means a business in which a person other than a business operator prescribed in Article 3-2, paragraph (1) of the Hotel Business Act (Act No. 138 of 1948) accommodates persons in a residence for a room charge, and the number of days calculated pursuant to the provisions of Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare as the number of days for accommodating persons does not exceed 180 days in a year.

④The term "private lodging business operator" as used in this Act means a person that runs a private lodging business by submitting a notification referred to in paragraph (1) of the following Article.

⑤The term "private lodging management services" as used in this Act means the services under Articles 5 through 10 and services that maintain a notified residence (meaning a residence subject to notification referred to in paragraph (1) of the following Article; the same applies hereinafter) necessary for the proper implementation of a private lodging business.

⑥The term "private lodging management business" as used in this Act means a business that is entrusted under Article 11, paragraph (1) by a private lodging business operator to provide private lodging management services for remuneration.

⑦The term "private lodging manager" as used in this Act means a person that has received registration referred to in Article 22, paragraph (1) and runs a private lodging management business.

⑧The term "private lodging intermediary services" as used in this Act means the following acts:

⑨The term "private lodging intermediary business" as used in this Act means a business in which a person other than a travel agent prescribed in Article 6-4, paragraph (1) of the Travel Agency Act (Act No. 239 of 1952) (simply referred to as a "travel agent" in Articles 12 and 67) performs the acts listed in the items of the preceding paragraph for remuneration.

⑩The term "private lodging intermediary" as used in this Act means a person that has received registration referred to in Article 46, paragraph (1) and runs a private lodging intermediary business.

①Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 3, paragraph (1) of the Hotel Business Act, a person that has notified the prefectural governor (or the head of a city that establishes health centers or of a special ward (hereinafter referred to as a "city with a health center or special ward") which handle administrative affairs for the private lodging business or other prescribed business prescribed in Article 68, paragraph (1) (the same applies hereinafter, except for paragraph (7) of this Article and paragraphs (1) and (2) of that Article)) that they will run a private lodging business may run the private lodging business.

②A person that seeks to make the notification referred to in the preceding paragraph must submit a written notification stating the following particulars to the prefectural governor for each residence where the person seeks to run a private lodging business, pursuant to the provisions of Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare:

③The written notification referred to in the preceding paragraph must be accompanied by a drawing of the residence relating to the relevant notification, a document pledging that the person seeking to make the notification referred to in paragraph (1) does not fall under any of the items of the following Article, and other documents specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

④If there has been a change in the particulars listed in paragraph (2), items (i) through (iii), (v), or (vii), the private lodging business operator must notify the prefectural governor to that effect within 30 days from the day of that change, and if it seeks to change the particulars listed in item (vi) of that paragraph, it must notify the prefectural governor to that effect before the change.

⑤The provisions of paragraph (3) apply mutatis mutandis to the notification under the preceding paragraph.

⑥If a private lodging business operator falls under any of the following items, the person specified in the items must notify the prefectural governor to that effect within 30 days from that date (or in the case of item (i), from the date of learning of that fact) pursuant to the provisions of Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare:

⑦If a prefectural governor has accepted a notification under paragraph (1) or (4) or the preceding paragraph, and a residence subject to that notification is located within a city with a health center or a special ward (excluding those whose head handles administrative affairs for the private lodging business or other prescribed business prescribed in Article 68, paragraph (1)), the governor must notify the head of that city or special ward to that effect without delay.

Any person who falls under any of the following categories must not run a private lodging business:

A private lodging business operator must take measures that are specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and are necessary to ensure the hygiene of lodgers for its notified residence, such as limiting the number of lodgers according to the floor area of each room (limited to those used for a private lodging business; the same applies in Article 11, paragraph (1), item (i)), or periodical cleaning.

A private lodging business operator must take measures that are specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and are necessary to ensure the safety of lodgers in the event of a fire or other disasters for its notified residence, such as installing emergency lighting fixtures or marking evacuation routes.

A private lodging business operator must take measures that are specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and are necessary to ensure the comfort and convenience of lodgers who are foreign tourists, such as providing foreign language guidance to lodgers who are foreign tourists on how to use the facilities of a notified residence, providing information on how to use public transportation for travel in a foreign language.

①A private lodging business operator must keep a register of the lodgers in notified residences and other places specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, enter the full names, addresses, occupations and other information specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and submit this when requested by the prefectural governor.

②Lodgers must inform the private lodging business operator of the information specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as referred to in the preceding paragraph when requested to do so.

①A private lodging business operator must explain particulars that should be considered for preventing noise and other particulars that are specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and are necessary for preventing adverse effects on the living environment in the surrounding area of notified residence, to lodgers, pursuant to Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

②A private lodging business operator must provide explanations under the preceding paragraph to lodgers who are foreign tourists in a foreign language they can speak.

A private lodging business operator must respond appropriately and promptly to complaints and enquiries from residents of the surrounding area of the notified residence.

①When any of the following items applies, a private lodging business operator must entrust its private lodging management services subject to the relevant notified residence to a private lodging manager pursuant to the provisions of Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; provided, however, that this does not apply if the private lodging business operator is a private lodging manager, and the private lodging business operator provides the private lodging management services for the notified residence on its own:

②The provisions of Article 5 through the preceding Article do not apply to a private lodging business operator that runs a private lodging business in a notified residence for which private lodging management services have been entrusted.

If a private lodging business operator entrusts another person with the conclusion of a private lodging business contract (meaning a contract for the provision of private lodging in a notified residence to a lodger; the same applies hereinafter) as its agent or intermediary, the business operator must entrust this to a private lodging intermediary or travel agent.

Private lodging business operators must display a sign in the form specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in a place easily visible to the public for each notified residence.

A private lodging business operator must report regularly to the prefectural governor on the number of days that the business operator let persons stay in its notified residence and other particulars specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, pursuant to Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

If a prefectural governor finds it necessary to do so in order to ensure proper operation of the private lodging business, the prefectural governor may order the private lodging business operator to change its business methods or take other measures necessary to improve its business operation, to the extent necessary for that purpose.

①If a private lodging business operator has violated laws and regulations or an order under the preceding Article in relation to the private lodging business it runs, the prefectural governor may order the suspension of all or part of its business for a specified period not exceeding one year.

②A prefectural governor may order the discontinuation of a private lodging business if a private lodging business operator has violated laws and regulations or an order under the preceding Article or the preceding paragraph in relation to the private lodging business it runs, and the purpose of supervision cannot be achieved by other means.

③If the prefectural governor has issued an order under the preceding two paragraphs, the prefectural governor must give notification to that effect to the private lodging business operator without delay, indicating the reasons for the order.

①If the prefectural governor finds it necessary to do so in order to ensure the proper operation of a private lodging business, it may request the private lodging business operator to report on its business, or may have their officials enter the notified residence or other facilities, inspect the state of its business or equipment, books and documents and other items, or ask questions to the persons concerned.

②The official who conducts an on-site inspection pursuant to the preceding paragraph must carry identification and present it to the person concerned.

③The authority to conduct an on-site inspection under paragraph (1) must not be interpreted as having been granted for the purpose of a criminal investigation.

If it is necessary to do so in order to prevent the deterioration of the living environment due to noise emissions and other events caused by the private lodging business, a prefecture (or within a city with a health center or a special ward which handles administrative affairs for the private lodging business or other prescribed business prescribed in Article 68, paragraph (1), that city or special ward) may limit the period for carrying out the private lodging business to the extent considered necessary by specifying the area, in accordance with the criteria specified by a Cabinet Order, and as specified by Prefectural or Municipal Ordinance.

The Commissioner of the Tourism Agency is to provide private lodging business operators with necessary advice and other assistance with regard to measures to improve the reception of foreign tourists, such as the development of facilities with infrastructures that enable the use of the Internet, in order to ensure the proper implementation of the private lodging business.

①The Commissioner of the Tourism Agency is to provide foreign tourists with information on the state of implementation of the private lodging business and other information on the private lodging business in order to increase the convenience regarding foreign tourists' lodging.

②If the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency finds it necessary to do so in order to provide the information referred to in the preceding paragraph, the Commissioner may request the prefectural governor to provide the necessary information concerning notified residences located in the prefecture.

In the provisions of the Building Standards Act (Act No. 201 of 1950) and orders made thereunder, the terms "residences", "row houses", "apartment houses" and "dormitories" include those which are notified residences.

①A person that seeks to run a private lodging management business must be registered with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

②The registration referred to in the preceding paragraph ceases to be effective upon expiry of the period unless renewed every five years.

③If an application for renewal referred to in the preceding paragraph has been made and no disposition is made on the application by the date of expiry of the period referred to in the preceding paragraph (hereinafter in this paragraph and the following paragraph referred to as the "valid period of registration"), the previous registration remains in force after the expiry of the valid period of registration until the disposition is made.

④In the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, if the registration is renewed, the validity period of the registration is to be calculated from the day after the expiry date of the previous registration.

⑤A person that seeks to renew the registration referred to in paragraph (2) must pay a fee in the amount specified by Cabinet Order in consideration of the actual costs.

①A person that seeks the registration referred to in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article (including renewal of registration referred to in paragraph (2) of that Article; hereinafter the same applies in this Chapter and Article 72, item (ii)) must submit an application stating the following to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism:

②The application referred to in the preceding paragraph must be accompanied by a document pledging that the person seeking the registration referred to in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article does not fall under any of the items of Article 25, paragraph (1) and other documents specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

①When an application for registration under paragraph (1) of the preceding Article is made, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism must register the following particulars in the register of private lodging management businesses, except cases in which the Minister denies the registration pursuant to paragraph (1) of the following Article:

②If the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has granted registration under the preceding paragraph, the Minister must notify the applicant and the prefectural governor to that effect without delay.

①If a person seeking the registration referred to in Article 22, paragraph (1) falls under any of the following items, or if the application or its supporting documents referred to in Article 23, paragraph (1) contain a false statement on an important particular or omit important facts, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism must deny the registration:

②If the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport denies registration pursuant to the preceding paragraph, the Minister must notify the applicant of this without delay, indicating the reasons for the denial.

①If there has been a change in the particulars listed in the items of Article 23, paragraph (1), a private lodging manager must notify the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to that effect within 30 days from the date of that change.

②If the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism receives a notification under the preceding paragraph, the Minister must register the particulars subject to the notification in the register of private lodging managers, except cases in which those particulars fall under paragraph (1), item (vii) or (viii) of the preceding Article.

③If the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has made a registration under the preceding paragraph, the Minister must notify the prefectural governor to that effect without delay.

④The provisions of Article 23, paragraph (2) apply mutatis mutandis to the notification under paragraph (1).

The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport must make the register of private lodging managers available for public inspection.

①If a private lodging manager comes to fall under any of the following items, the persons specified in the items must notify the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to that effect within 30 days from that date (in the case of item (i), from the date of learning of the fact) pursuant to the provisions of Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism:

②If a private lodging manager comes to fall under any of the items of the preceding paragraph, the registration under Article 22, paragraph (1) ceases to be valid.

Private lodging managers must perform their work in a spirit of good faith and in integrity.

A private lodging manager must not allow another person to run a private lodging management business under that private lodging manager's name.

When advertising its business, a private lodging manager must not make representations that are significantly different from the actual facts with regard to particulars concerning the responsibilities of the private lodging manager and other particulars specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, or representations that mislead people into believing that they are significantly better or more advantageous than they are in reality.

A private lodging manager must not do any of the following acts:

①When a private lodging manager seeks to conclude a management contract, it must deliver a document to the entrusting person (excluding a person who is a private lodging manager) and explain the contents of the management contract and particulars concerning its performance specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in it before concluding that contract.

②In lieu of delivering a document under the preceding paragraph, the private lodging manager may provide the entrusting person with the particulars to be described in that document by electronic or magnetic means (meaning a method using an electronic data processing system or other information communication technology as prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; the same applies in Article 60, paragraph (2)) with the consent of the entrusting person, pursuant to the provisions of Cabinet Order. In this case, the private lodging manager is deemed to have delivered that document.

①When a private lodging manager has concluded its management contract, it must deliver a document stating the following to the entrusting person without delay:

②The provisions of paragraph (2) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis to the delivery of documents under the preceding paragraph.

A private lodging manager must not entrust another person with all of the private lodging management services that the private lodging business operator has entrusted to the private lodging manager.

The provisions of Articles 5 through 10 apply mutatis mutandis to a private lodging manager that runs a private lodging management business in a notified residence for which the private lodging management services have been entrusted. In this case, the term "notified residences and other places specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare" in Article 8, paragraph (1) is deemed to be replaced with "the business office or office of the private lodging management business operator", and the term "prefectural governor" is deemed to be replaced with "Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism or prefectural governor".

①A private lodging manager must not allow an employee or other worker engaged in the business to engage in the business unless the private lodging manager has them carry identification certifying that they are its workers, as specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

②When performing their duties, an employee or other worker of a private lodging manager must present the identification referred to in the preceding paragraph when requested to do so by the private lodging operator or any other person concerned.

A private lodging manager must keep accounts of its business at each place of business or offices, enter the date of the contract and other particulars specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism with regard to the management contract for each notified residence, and keep these accounts, as specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

A private lodging manager must display a sign in the form specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in a place easily visible to the public at each of its places of business or offices.

A private lodging manager must report regularly to the private lodging business operator on the state of implementation of the private lodging management services and other particulars specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, as prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

①If the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism finds it necessary to do so in order to ensure the proper operation of the private lodging management business, the Minister may order the private lodging manager to change its business methods or take other measures necessary to improve the operation of the business, to the extent necessary for that purpose. In this case, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism must notify the prefectural governor of that order without delay.

②If the prefectural governor finds it necessary to do so in order to ensure the proper operation of the private lodging management business (limited to the business under Articles 5 through 10 as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 36; the same applies in Article 45, paragraph (2)), the governor may order the private lodging manager (limited to a person that runs a private lodging management business within the prefecture; the same applies in paragraph (2) of the preceding Article, and Article 45, paragraph (2)) to change its business methods or take other measures necessary to improve its business operations, to the extent necessary for that purpose. In this case, the prefectural governor must notify the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of that order without delay.

①The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport may revoke the registration of a private lodging manager or order the suspension of all or part of its business for a specified period not exceeding one year if the manager falls under any of the following items:

②The prefectural governor may request the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to make a disposition under the preceding paragraph if the private lodging manager has violated the provisions of Articles 5 through 10 as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 36, or has violated an order under paragraph (2) of the preceding Article.

③If the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport issues an order under paragraph (1), the Minister must notify the prefectural governor to that effect without delay.

④The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport may revoke the registration of a private lodging manager if the Minister finds that the manager has not started its business within one year since it received the registration or has not carried out its business for more than one year.

⑤The provisions of Article 25, paragraph (2) apply mutatis mutandis to cases in which a disposition under paragraph (1) or the preceding paragraph is made.

①The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport must delete the registration if it loses its effect pursuant to Article 22, paragraph (2) or Article 28, paragraph (2), or the Minister has revoked it pursuant to paragraph (1) or (4) of the preceding Article.

②The provisions of Article 26, paragraph (3) apply mutatis mutandis to the deletion of registration under the preceding paragraph.

If the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has made a disposition under Article 42, paragraph (1) or (4), the Minister must issue public notice to that effect pursuant to the provisions of Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

①If the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism finds it necessary to do so in order to ensure the proper operation of the private lodging management business, the Minister may request the private lodging manager to report on its business, or may have their officials enter the place of business, office or other facilities of the private lodging manager and inspect the business conditions or equipment, books and documents and other items, or ask questions to the persons concerned.

②If a prefectural governor finds it necessary to ensure the proper operation of a private lodging management business, the governor may request a private lodging manager to report on its business, or have their officials enter the place of business, office or other facilities of a private lodging manager and inspect the business conditions or equipment, books and documents and other items, or ask questions to the persons concerned.

③The provisions of Article 17, paragraph (2) and (3) apply mutatis mutandis to on-site inspections under the preceding two paragraphs.

①Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 3 of the Travel Agency Act, a person that has been registered by the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency may run a private lodging intermediary business.

②The registration referred to in the preceding paragraph ceases to be effective upon expiry of the period unless it is renewed every five years.

③If an application for renewal referred to in the preceding paragraph has been made, and no disposition is made on the application before the expiry of the period referred to in that paragraph (hereinafter in this paragraph and the following paragraph referred to as the "valid period of registration"), the previous registration remains in force after the expiry of the valid period of registration until the disposition is made.

④In the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, if the registration is renewed, the validity period of the registration is to be calculated from the day after the expiry date of the previous registration.

⑤A person that seeks to renew the registration referred to in paragraph (2) must pay a fee in the amount specified by Cabinet Order in consideration of the actual costs.

①A person that seeks the registration referred to in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article (including renewal of registration referred to in paragraph (2) of that Article; the same applies in this Chapter and Article 72, item (ii)) must submit an application stating the following to the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency:

②The application referred to in the preceding paragraph must be accompanied by a document pledging that the person seeking the registration referred to in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article does not fall under any of the items of Article 49, paragraph (1) and other documents specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

①When an application for registration under paragraph (1) of the preceding Article is made, the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency must register the following particulars in the register of private lodging intermediaries, except cases in which the Commissioner denies the registration pursuant to paragraph (1) of the following Article:

②When the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency has made a registration under the preceding paragraph, the Commissioner must notify the applicant to that effect without delay.

①If a person seeking the registration referred to in Article 46, paragraph (1) falls under any of the following items, or if the application or its supporting documents referred to in Article 47, paragraph (1) contain a false statement on an important particular or omit important facts, the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency must deny the registration:

②If the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency denies registration pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Commissioner must notify the applicant to that effect without delay, indicating the reasons for this.

①If there has been a change in the particulars listed in the items of Article 47, paragraph (1), a private lodging intermediary must notify the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency to that effect within 30 days from the date of that change.

②If the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency receives a notification under the preceding paragraph, the Commissioner must register the particulars subject to the notification in the register of private lodging intermediaries, except cases in which those particulars fall under item (vii) or (viii) of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article.

③The provisions of Article 47, paragraph (2) apply mutatis mutandis to the notification under paragraph (1).

The Commissioner of the Tourism Agency must make the register of private lodging intermediaries available for public inspection.

①If a private lodging intermediary falls under any of the following items, the person specified in the items must notify the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency to that effect within 30 days from that date (or in the case of item (i), from the date of learning of that fact) pursuant to the provisions of Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism:

②If a private lodging intermediary has come to fall under any of the items of the preceding paragraph, the registration referred to in Article 46, paragraph (1) loses its effect.

Private lodging intermediaries must conduct business in a fair and sincere manner.

A private lodging intermediary must not allow another person to run a private lodging intermediary business under the private lodging intermediary's name.

①A private lodging intermediary must establish the terms and conditions of the private lodging intermediary services with regard to the contract concerning the private lodging intermediary services (referred to as a "private lodging intermediary contract" in Article 57, item (i) and Article 59, paragraph (1)) that it concludes with a lodger, and must notify the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency of them before their implementation. The same applies when the intermediary seeks to change them.

②If the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency finds that the terms and conditions of the private lodging intermediary services referred to in the preceding paragraph fall under any of the following items, it may order the private lodging intermediary to change the terms and conditions, setting a reasonable time limit:

③If the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency has established and made a public notice on the general terms and conditions of the private lodging intermediary services (including cases in which the Commissioner has changed and made a public notice on them), and the private lodging intermediary establishes terms and conditions of its private lodging intermediary services that are identical to the general terms and conditions of the private lodging intermediary services or changes the terms and conditions of its private lodging intermediary services that it has already established so that they are identical to the general terms and conditions of the private lodging intermediary services, the notification under paragraph (1) is deemed to have been made for those terms and conditions.

④A private lodging intermediary must make a public notice on the terms and conditions of the private lodging intermediary services pursuant to the provisions of Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

①Before starting its business, a private lodging intermediary must set the fees for the private lodging intermediary services that it receives from lodgers or private lodging business operators in accordance with the standards specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and must make a public notice on these fees pursuant to the provisions of Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The same applies if the private lodging intermediary seeks to change them.

②A private lodging intermediary must not receive fees in excess of the fees for which it has made a public notice pursuant to the preceding paragraph.

Private lodging intermediaries must not engage in any of the following acts:

A private lodging intermediary or its agents, employees or other workers must not commit any of the following acts in connection with the private lodging intermediary services it carries out:

①When a private lodging intermediary seeks to conclude a private lodging intermediary contract, it must deliver a document to the lodgers and explain the contents of the private lodging intermediary contract and particulars concerning its performance specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in it before concluding that contract.

②The provisions of Article 33, paragraph (2) apply mutatis mutandis to the delivery of the document under the preceding paragraph to the lodger.

①A private lodging intermediary must display a sign in a form specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in a place easily visible to the public at each of their places of business or offices.

②A private lodging intermediary may make a public notice on the date of registration, registration number and other particulars specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism by electronic or magnetic means. In this case, the provisions of the preceding paragraph do not apply.

①If the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency finds it necessary to do so in order to ensure the proper operation of the private lodging intermediary business, the Commissioner may order the private lodging intermediary (excluding a natural person who does not have an address or residence in Japan or a corporation or other organization which does not have its principal office in Japan and which runs a private lodging intermediary business in a foreign state (hereinafter referred to as a "foreign private lodging intermediary"); the same applies hereinafter) to change its business methods or take other measures necessary to improve its business operation, to the extent necessary for that purpose.

②The provisions of the preceding paragraph apply mutatis mutandis to foreign private lodging intermediaries. In this case, the phrase "order" in that paragraph is deemed to be replaced by "request".

①The Commissioner of the Tourism Agency may revoke the registration of a private lodging intermediary or order the suspension of all or part of its business for a specified period not exceeding one year if the private lodging intermediary falls under any of the following items:

②The Commissioner of the Tourism Agency may revoke the registration of a private lodging intermediary if the Commissioner finds that the intermediary has not started its business within one year since it received the registration or has not carried out its business for more than one year.

③The provisions of Article 49, paragraph (2) apply mutatis mutandis to cases in which a disposition is made pursuant to the preceding two paragraphs.

①The Commissioner of the Tourism Agency may revoke the registration of a foreign private lodging intermediary or request the suspension of all or part of its business for a specified period not exceeding one year, if the foreign private lodging intermediary falls under any of the following items:

②The Commissioner of the Tourism Agency may revoke the registration of a foreign private lodging intermediary if the Commissioner finds that the intermediary has not started its business within one year since it received the registration or has not carried out its business for more than one year.

③The provisions of Article 49, paragraph (2) apply mutatis mutandis to cases in which a request is made for the revocation of registration under the preceding two paragraphs or for the suspension of business under paragraph (1).

④The costs required for an inspection under paragraph (1), item (iv) (limited to the costs specified by Cabinet Order) are to be borne by the foreign private lodging intermediary subject to that inspection.

The Commissioner of the Tourism Agency must delete the registration if it loses its effect pursuant to Article 46, paragraph (2) or Article 52, paragraph (2), or the Commissioner has revoked the registration pursuant to Article 62, paragraph (1) or (2), or pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) of the preceding Article.

If any of the following items applies, the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency must give public notice of any of the following cases pursuant to the provisions of Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism:

①If the Commissioner of the Tourism Agency finds it necessary to do so in order to ensure the proper operation of the private lodging intermediary business, the Commissioner may request the private lodging intermediary to report on its business, or have their officials enter the business office or office of the private lodging intermediary and inspect the state of its business, books and documents and other items, or ask questions to the persons concerned.

②The provisions of Article 17, paragraphs (2) and (3) apply mutatis mutandis to the on-site inspection under the preceding paragraph.

If a travel agent conducts the acts listed in the Article 2, paragraph (8), item (ii) of this Act as the travel services listed in Article 2, paragraph (1), item (iv) of the Travel Agency Act (meaning the travel services prescribed in paragraph (3) of that Article), for the provision of Article 12, paragraph (1) of the Travel Agency Act to be applied, the term "traveler" in Article 12, paragraph (1) of that Act is deemed to be replaced with "traveler and a private lodging business operator prescribed in Article 2, paragraph (4) of the Private Lodging Business Act (Act No. 65 of 2017)".

①A city with a health center, a special ward, or its head may conduct administrative affairs for the private lodging business or other prescribed business (meaning administrative affairs under Chapter II (excluding Article 3, paragraph (7)) and Chapter III that are prescribed to be handled by a prefecture or prefectural governor; the same applies hereinafter) on behalf of a prefecture or prefectural governor within that city or special ward.

②If a city with a health center, a special ward, or its head seeks to handle administrative affairs for the private lodging business or other prescribed business pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the head must hold a discussion with the prefectural governor about handling the administrative affairs before handling them.

③The head of a city with a health center or a special ward who has had a discussion with the prefectural governor pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph must make a public notice to that effect, pursuant to Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, by 30 days before the date on which the city, ward, or head starts to handle the administrative affairs for the private lodging business or other prescribed business.

④If a city with a health center, a special ward, or its head handles administrative affairs for the private lodging business or other prescribed business pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1), the handing over of the administrative affairs for the private lodging business or other prescribed business and other necessary particulars are specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

A part of the authority of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport provided for in this Act may be delegated to the heads of local branch departments pursuant to the provisions of Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Beyond what is provided for in this Act, particulars necessary for the implementation of this Act are prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, or by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

If an order is enacted, amended or repealed under this Act, the order may provide for necessary transitional measures (including transitional measures relating to penalties) to the extent considered reasonably necessary in connection with that enactment, amendment or repeal.

Any person who falls under one of the following items is punished by imprisonment for not more than one year or a fine of not more than one million yen, or both:

Any person who falls under one of the following items is punished by imprisonment for not more than six months or a fine of not more than one million yen, or both:

Any person who violates an order under Article 42, paragraph (1) or Article 62, paragraph (1) is punished by imprisonment for not more than six months or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen, or both.

Any person who violates the provisions of Article 11, paragraph (1) or Article 12 is punished by a fine of not more than 500,000 yen.

Any person who falls under one of the following items is punished by a fine of not more than three hundred thousand yen:

Any person who falsely states particulars specified by Order of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as prescribed in Article 8, paragraph (1) in violation of the provisions of Article 8, paragraph (2) (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 36) is punished by penal detention or a petty fine.

If a representative of a corporation or an agent, employee or other worker of a corporation or individual commits an offence under Articles 72 through 76 with regard to the business of that corporation or individual, in addition to the offender being punished, that corporation or individual is punished by the fine prescribed in the relevant Articles.

Any person who fails to give a notification under Article 3, paragraph (6), Article 28, paragraph (1) or Article 52, paragraph (1) or gives a false notification is punished by a civil fine of up to 200,000 yen.