With Halloween approaching, Japanese municipalities are stepping up measures against disruptive celebrations in major entertainment districts as larger crowds are expected this year, with the event falling on a Saturday.
Halloween is not a traditional festivity in Japan, but has evolved into a major urban event in recent years, particularly in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, where revellers in costumes gather for street celebrations.
The festivities have increasingly become associated with public disorder, with party-goers drinking on the streets, littering and causing disturbances. Concerns intensified after crowds overturned a small truck in Shibuya during Halloween celebrations in 2018.