Ota Ward residents face surge in short‑term rental complaints

In Tokyo’s Ota Ward, a residential neighbourhood has seen a sharp rise in disturbances linked to short‑term rental (民泊) guests. A resident, identified only as A, reports nightly noise, groups of foreign guests loitering on the street, and repeated door‑bell rings. Guests have even mistaken A’s home for a rental entrance, surrounding the doorway and delivering unsolicited parcels that appear to be ordered by the occupants of the nearby rentals.

The ward’s special‑zone policy, introduced because of its proximity to Haneda Airport, removes the usual annual limit on short‑term rental operating days. Local officials say complaints have more than quintupled in the past year and promise to monitor national trends while taking appropriate measures at the district level.