TOKYO -- The enactment of the minpaku home-sharing law in the Diet's upper house Friday removes the regulatory uncertainties surrounding renting private dwellings as temporary accommodations, possibly opening the door for dramatic growth of a new industry in Japan.
Minpaku, or the renting of private homes to tourists, was not illegal, but it was not fully above board, either. The new law will provide a framework for the new industry and help it achieve sound growth, Keiichi Ishii, the tourism minister, told reporters Friday.
