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Shibuya to ban drinking on streets during Halloween

May 14 (Japan Today) - Tokyo's busy Shibuya district has decided to ban drinking alcohol on some streets during the Halloween season, officials said Monday.

The prohibition applying to outdoor areas around Shibuya Station will be introduced possibly this fall following a number of incidents last year, including the overturning of a small truck that led to the arrests of several men in their 20s.

A total of more than 300,000 people, mostly aged from their late teens to their 30s, joined by both Japanese and foreigners clad in costumes, crowded around Shibuya's iconic scramble crossing on Halloween last Oct. 31 and the weekend prior, according to Tokyo police.

A panel was set up by Shibuya Ward to discuss what to do with escalating pranks in public spaces in the district, one of the capital's major entertainment areas, during the annual celebration, which started to become popular in Japan in the 2000s.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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The streets of Shibuya became a chaotic scene during the year-end party season, with excessive drinking leading to public disorder. People were found sleeping on the streets, fights broke out among groups of young revelers, and police and emergency services were frequently called to intervene.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has unveiled a new passport design set to be issued from March next year. The new system will allow online applications not only for renewals but also for new passport requests. Submitting an original family register certificate will no longer be required for online applications.

The next generation of solar cells, known as perovskite solar panels, are ultra-thin, lightweight, and bendable. The Japanese government has set a goal of achieving the equivalent of the energy output from 20 nuclear reactors with perovskite solar cells by 2040. With their use set to expand in various locations next year, 2024 is being called "the dawn of domestic perovskite."

The number of teachers taking mental health leave reached a record high of 7,119 in the 2023 fiscal year at public schools across Japan.

Japan's Ministry of Justice has released this year’s crime white paper, revealing that the number of recognized penal code offenses increased for the second consecutive year.

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