Running a Minpaku (Airbnb) Business in Japan: What Licenses Do You Need and How Do You Apply?

3. Mandatory requirements for operating Minpaku legally

Regardless of which route you choose, you must complete the following 3 mandatory “checkpoints” before opening your doors to guests:

Fire Safety Regulations

This is the strictest hurdle. Once used as a business, your property will be classified by the fire department as an “accommodation facility” (特定防火対象物 - tokutei bōka taishōbutsu).

• Fire-safety certificate: You must obtain a Fire Safety Compliance Notification (消防法令適合通知書 - shōbō hōrei tekigō tsūchisho) issued by the local fire department.
• Required equipment: Depending on the size and structure of the property, you may need to install:
  • An automatic fire alarm system (自動火災報知設備 - jidō kasai hōchi setsubi).
  • Emergency exit guidance lights (誘導灯 - yūdōtō).
  • Fire extinguishers (消火器 - shōkaki).
  • Fire-retardant curtains and carpets (防炎物品 - bōen buppin).

Neighbor Relations and Condominium Rules

• Condominium management bylaws (マンション管理規約 - manshon kanri kiyaku): If you operate a Minpaku in a condominium, the building’s management bylaws must not prohibit Minpaku operations. If the bylaws do not clearly state this, you must obtain written confirmation from the management association (管理組合 - kanri kumiai).
• Advance explanation to neighbors (周辺住民への事前説明 - jizen setsumei): You must hold a meeting or send written notice to neighboring households explaining that you will operate a Minpaku, including a 24/7 phone number for reporting problems, to prevent issues involving noise or garbage.

Minpaku Management Company Requirement

If you operate Minpaku under the “owner-absent” model (yanushi fuzai gata), the Minpaku Act requires you to sign a contract entrusting all management duties to a licensed Minpaku management company (住宅宿泊管理業者 - jūtaku shukuhaku kanri gyōsha).

This company will be responsible for:

1. Verifying guests’ identities and checking their passports (本人確認・パスポート確認).
2. Creating and storing the guest register (宿泊者名簿 - shukuhakusha meibo) for 3 years.
3. Handling neighbors’ complaints 24/7 and ensuring cleanliness and housekeeping.

---

4. Summary table of procedures, costs, and time frames (As of August 8/2026)

To help you understand the financial picture and preparation timeline, below is a detailed comparison as of August 8/2026:

(Note: The estimated exchange rate as of August 8/2026 is 1 JPY ≈ 170 VND).

---

5. Minpaku registration process through the government information portal

The Minpaku Shinpō notification process has now been fully digitized. You can complete it yourself or ask an administrative scrivener (行政書士 - gyōsei shoshi) to handle it through the following steps:

[Step 1: Location & fire-safety survey] 
        ↓
[Step 2: Prepare the legal documentation] 
        ↓
[Step 3: Obtain a fire-safety certificate from the local fire department] 
        ↓
[Step 4: Create an account on the Minpaku Portal System] 
        ↓
[Step 5: Receive your Minpaku registration number (beginning with the letter M)]

Important documents to prepare:

1. Real estate registry certificate (登記事項証明書 - tōki jigyō shōmeisho): Proves ownership of the land and house.
2. Residence certificate (住民票 - jūminhyō): A copy of the owner’s registered residency information.
3. House floor plan (住宅の図面 - jūtaku no zumen): Clearly shows the bedrooms, evacuation routes, and fire-safety equipment.
4. Fire-safety certificate (消防法令適合通知書 - shōbō hōrei tekigō tsūchisho).
5. Management outsourcing agreement (住宅宿泊管理委託契約書): Required if you will not live on-site.
6. Written consent from the landlord/management association: Required if you are subletting a property to operate it as a Minpaku (賃貸人・転貸人の承諾書).

After submitting all required documents through the Minpaku System Operations Portal (民泊制度運営システム - Minpaku Seido Un-ei System) of Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), you will receive a Minpaku registration number if your application is approved. This number usually begins with the character M, for example: M13000XXXX. Enter this number on your Airbnb host page so that your property can be approved for public listing.

---

6. Risks and severe penalties for operating an illegal Minpaku

Today, Japanese authorities work closely with OTA platforms (Airbnb, Agoda, Booking.com) and the Immigration Services Agency to crack down on unlicensed Minpaku properties (無許可民泊 / 闇民泊).

Specific penalties (As of August 8/2026):

• Operating without a license (無許可営業): Violating the Ryokan Gyōhō or Minpaku Act may result in up to 6 months’ imprisonment or a maximum fine of 1,000,000 JPY (~170 million VND).
• False declarations and violating the 180-day limit: Exceeding 180 days without switching to a different license will be considered illegal hotel operations. Violations involving reporting obligations or the submission of falsified documents carry fines ranging from 300,000 JPY to 500,000 JPY (~51 - 85 million VND).
• Impact on status of residence (for example: Engineer visa or student visa): Operating an illegal business may be considered an activity outside the scope of your status of residence (資格外活動 - shikakugai katsu dō) or a serious legal violation, creating a risk of visa cancellation, denial of status-of-residence renewal, and deportation.
• Being blacklisted: The property may be permanently removed from all booking platforms and recorded as having committed an administrative violation.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can Vietnamese nationals with an Engineer visa or student visa register a Minpaku business under their own name?
You should not register and operate the business as an individual unless you have changed to a Business Manager visa (経営・管理 - Keiei Kanri), or hold Permanent Resident status (永住者 - Eijūsha) or Long-Term Resident status. Engineer and student visas restrict the types of work and activities permitted; operating a profitable Minpaku yourself may be considered a violation of your status of residence. However, you may establish a company and hire a professional manager, or own the property and entrust all operational management to a management company.

Q. Can I rent a condominium and sublet it as an Airbnb myself?
It is very difficult and risky. Most ordinary residential leases in Japan (賃貸借契約 - chintai shaku keiyaku) include a clause prohibiting subletting to third parties (転貸禁止 - tentai kinshi). If you operate an Airbnb without permission, the landlord or real estate management company may unilaterally terminate the lease, seek compensation for damages, and immediately evict you. You can only do this if the contract explicitly states that “Minpaku use is permitted” (民泊利用可).

Q. Does an M-number Minpaku registration require an annual maintenance fee?
Submitting a Minpaku Shinpō notification through the government portal is completely free of government filing fees. However, you will still have to pay annual fees to an outsourced management company if you operate under the owner-absent model, as well as costs for maintaining your fire-safety systems and undergoing periodic fire-safety inspections in accordance with local regulations.

---

Conclusion

Running a Minpaku business in Japan is a promising investment opportunity, but it requires absolute compliance with the law. Start by choosing the correct legal route (Minpaku Shinpō, Ryokan Gyōhō, or Tokku Minpaku), working carefully with your local fire department, and finding a reputable Minpaku management company to support you.

If you are looking for more practical information about real estate, working in Japan, and building assets there, take a look at the other useful articles on our platform:

• OlaChill Blog - A Guide to Life & Investing in Japan
• Buying a House and Real Estate in Japan: Tips for Vietnamese People
• Discover Day Cultural Experience Tours from Tokyo

---