Shibuya to Step Up Efforts to Alert Foreigners of Halloween Rules

Tokyo, Oct. 2 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward will strengthen measures to notify foreign tourists about rules and manners during this year’s Halloween season, Mayor Ken Hasebe said Thursday. “It seems that there was an increase in foreigners dressed up in costumes last year,” Hasebe said at a press conference. “The situation is changing.” Starting this year, the ward will distribute related information in Chinese and Korean, in addition to English, according to the mayor. The ward will seek to dissuade Halloween revelers from engaging in troublesome behavior such as street drinking, which has become a major issue during the season, as well as smoking and littering. “We’ll ban nuisance Halloween,” Hasebe said. The ward has created an ordinance prohibiting drinking in the streets near Shibuya Station at night. It will continue last year’s practice of asking stores to refrain from selling alcohol from the night of Oct. 31 through the following morning. Additionally, the ward will block off the Hachiko statue, a popular gathering spot outside the station. It will also make leasing and returning ports for Luup Inc.’s e-scooter sharing service unavailable. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]