From October 27 to 31, it will be prohibited to drink alcoholic beverages on the streets of Shibuya from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m., and liquor stores in the area are encouraged not to sell alcohol during that time.
Additionally, additional police and security personnel will be deployed in the area.
On October 29 last year, as tens of thousands of people flocked to the Itaewon district to celebrate Halloween, nearly 160 people died in a traffic jam on a narrow street in the South Korean capital.
In recent years in Tokyo, tens of thousands of Japanese and foreigners have also flowed through the narrow streets of Shibuya, many dressed as zombies.
The crowds flooding the area made it difficult for rescue services to reach people in need.
“We are very concerned that an accident similar to the fatal incident in Itewon, Seoul last October, could happen at any time,” the district’s mayor, Ken Hasebe, said earlier this month.
A video released by the authorities before this weekend, in Japanese and English, also talks about things that annoy local residents, such as vandalism, littering and noise.
“Everyone should stay away from Shibuya this Halloween night. Some people live in Shibuya, the video message said. – Violence. Drunkenness on the street. Smoking on the street. Traffic violations. You don’t get to choose how your actions affect others.”
Uncelebrated billboards have been put up, and the famous statue of the faithful dog Hachiko, a popular meeting place near Shibuya Station, is also set to be temporarily covered.
Some residents welcomed the restrictions.
“I think it’s the right decision, because it seems to me that these holidays have become more and more redundant in recent years,” 35-year-old Ryosuke Yamazaki told AFP.
“If the situation gets worse than it is now, there could be a catastrophe or even something similar to what happened in South Korea,” he said.
Kosuke Kimura, 21, called the restrictions perfectly appropriate.
But Laura Williamee, a 35-year-old tourist from the United States, said the restrictions were very disappointing.
“I booked this flight a while ago and was really looking forward to the Halloween party in Shibuya (…), [bet] I understand that it can become dangerous, she told AFP. – I think their idea is right and they want to protect people, all the tourists and everything, so I totally understand them. I’m not really upset about it. It’s just disappointing.”
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