"Denied Accommodation for Refusing Passport Request"... Third-Generation Korean Resident Sues Tokyo Hotel for Damages

A third-generation Korean resident in Japan filed a lawsuit for damages after being denied accommodation at a hotel in Tokyo for refusing to present her passport or other identification documents during check-in.

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According to Kyodo News on May 13, a university faculty member identified as Ms. A reserved a business hotel in Tokyo for a business trip in September last year.

Ms. A, who holds permanent residency status, was asked by a hotel employee to present her passport or a residence card for foreigners during the check-in process. She refused, stating that she was not obligated to do so.

The employee then denied her accommodation.

The woman filed a lawsuit with the Kobe District Court, seeking damages for emotional distress caused by the refusal of accommodation. Under current Japanese accommodation laws, only foreign nationals residing abroad are required to present a passport.

Kyodo News reported that "across the country, there have been repeated cases where hotels and other businesses demand guests present a passport or residence card based on their name or appearance," and that "in 2023, Kagawa Prefecture notified local accommodation businesses that such practices raise 'human rights concerns.'"

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