A Study on the Impact of Exempted Private Advertisements on the Regulatory Practices of Local Governments

ABSTRACT

This study identifies challenges faced by local governments regarding private advertisements (jikayō kōkokubutsu), which are outdoor advertisements displayed on one's own premises to indicate one's own name or business and are exempt from the permit system in Japan, in relation to safety and landscape preservation. It aims to clarify the obstacles encountered when providing guidance or taking action against such advertisements. While authorities proactively identify such signs through patrols, determining whether they qualify as private advertisements proves difficult. Furthermore, while guidance is provided based on laws other than the Outdoor Advertisement Act, such as the Landscape Act and the Road Traffic Act, it has become clear that authorities struggle to address private advertisements whose owners cannot be identified.