Upon check-in
at a
hotel in Japan you might have been asked to show your personal
identification (such as passport, alien registration card, driver’s
licence, etc.), and even have it photocopied.
This is unnecessary if you live in Japan. Regulations connected
to
the hotel management law (ryokan gyouhou) have been amended, effective
since April 1, 2005. Persons who do not have a residence in Japan must
have their passports copied upon check-in. This is the new
interpretation of letter of the law. Regarding registered foreign
residents in Japan, this amendment has led to confusion and
misunderstandings. This document is meant to clarify the issue and to
provide a feedback form for foreign residents staying at hotels in
Japan.
Hotel guests who have a residence in Japan, regardless of
nationality, are required to fill in their name, address, and
occupation into the hotel guest card, according to article 6 of the
hotel management law. The hotel may request to see personal ID of
guests, but you are not obliged to follow that request. Especially,
hotel clerks do not have the right to see, or copy, your alien
registration card. The alien registration law, article 13, restricts
the group of persons to whom this card has to be shown upon request to
police, coast guards, immigration officers and people bestowed with
similar policing powers. You can deny the request of hotel clerks
without giving a reason.
In addition, the hotel has no right to deny you lodging based upon you
denial of showing your ID, according to article 5 of the hotel
management law. The Japanese text of the pertinent laws follows:
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Foreign Registry Law (Gaitouhou) Article 13 Clause 2 (in
Japanese):
外国人登録法第十三条：第二項 外国人は、入国審査官、入国警備官（入管 法に定 める入国警備官をいう）、警察官、海上保安官その他法務省令で定め
る国又は地方公 共団体の職員がその職務の執行に当たり登録証明書の掲示を 求めた場合には、これを 掲示しなければならない。
====================================
Hotel Management Law (Ryokangyouhou), articles 5 and 6 (in Japanese):
旅館業法第五条：営業者は、左の各号の一に該当する場合を除いては、宿泊を拒んではならない。
一宿泊しようとする者が伝染性の疾病にかかつていると明らかに認められるとき。
二宿泊しようとする者がとばく、その他の違法行為又は風紀を乱す行為をする虞があると認められるとき。
三宿泊施設に余裕がないときその他都道府県が条例で定める事由があるとき。
第六条：１営業者は、宿泊者名簿を備え、これに宿泊者の氏名、住所、職業その他の事項を記載し、当該官吏又は吏員の要求があつたときは、これを提出しなけ
ればならない。
２宿泊者は、営業者から請求があつたときは、前項に規定する事項を告げなければならない。
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