Tourism-related businesses have been booming recently due to increased demand for inbound tourism and governmental policies. Furthermore, their structures are undergoing major transformations due to collaboration with IT services (digitization) and changes in people’s values. For example, new services have launched in Japan, such as residential accommodation projects (private lodging) and integrated resorts (IR). Other efforts are also being made to encourage host business events so-called MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions/Events) tourism, which are expected to attract a large number of people.

There are wide-ranging laws and regulations that underpin conducting such tourism-related businesses, such as those related to tourism policies or sightseeing resources, as well as various laws and regulations that apply to each specific business. When conducting tourism business, it is necessary to comply with applicable laws and regulations. In addition, since the interpretations of such laws and regulations may not always be clear, and the responses to them may vary depending on the municipality or administrative organ, it is necessary to conduct individualized reviews based on any available guidance and practical responses. Furthermore, various legal problems may arise in the process of conducting tourism-related business. In resolving such problems, it may be necessary to examine not only the Civil Code, labor laws, and the laws governing intellectual property rights, etc., but also, among others, the Act on the Protection of Personal Information, which has been significantly revised in recent years, as well as the laws related to infrastructure. It is therefore necessary to examine in detail and comprehensively the applicable laws and regulations in light of the client’s circumstances.
We, Ushijima & Partners, have a track record of providing legal advice on all aspects of our clients’ corporate activities concerning a wide variety of laws and regulations, from preventive legal affairs to dispute resolution. We also are adept at resolving issues through dialogue with administrative agencies, not just through litigation.

In addition, assets such as tourist facilities, accommodations, and resort facilities, such as hotels, inns, golf courses, and serviced apartments are attracting attention as investment and securitization.
Our firm’s areas of significant expertise include real estate transactions and real estate securitization. In deals targeting such real estate assets, we have provided advice to various stakeholders, including developers, investors, and asset managers, based on highly specialized laws and regulations, such as: laws related to silent partnerships (Tokumei Kumiai), the Trust Act, the Trust Business Act, the Act on the Securitization of Assets, the Limited Partnership Act for Investment, and the Act on Specified Joint Real Estate Ventures.