Society

Shibuya Mayor aims for trouble-free Halloween

Oct 25 (NHK) - The mayor of Tokyo's Shibuya Ward has vowed to prevent trouble in his district during Halloween starting this weekend.

Mayor Ken Hasebe told a news conference on Thursday that Shibuya will welcome everyone who comes to enjoy themselves, while maintaining decent behavior. But he warned against ill-mannered or disorderly conduct.

Shibuya had a number of incidents of vandalism and other criminal activity in its shopping streets and entertainment areas during last year's Halloween.

The spree led to Shibuya introducing an ordinance early this year banning alcohol drinking on the streets and parks near Shibuya Station during Halloween.

The ordinance also asks liquor stores and other shops to refrain from selling alcoholic drinks in those areas during the period.

Under the ordinance, drinking on the streets will be prohibited at night, between October 25 through 27, and on October 31 and November 1.

The mayor said he hopes the ordinance will be abolished someday in the future, but the ward had no choice but to adopt it, as facilities on the street were destroyed or defiled.

While Tokyo police will deploy their officers around Shibuya Station, the ward will separately place more than a hundred security guards in downtown areas this Saturday and on October 31.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Garbage Burnoff Spreads to 3 Buildings in Okayama

A fire that broke out in Kagamino, Okayama Prefecture, shortly after noon on May 20th destroyed three buildings, including a home, after flames from open burning spread to dead leaves and then to nearby structures.

Gang Members Arrested After Opening Office Near Nursery

Six people, including a senior member of a group affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate's Kohei-ikka faction, have been arrested on suspicion of opening a gang office in a prohibited area near a nursery school in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.

Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

A man who visited a police station in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the early hours of May 21st allegedly sprayed a transparent liquid inside the building, causing six police officers to complain of eye and throat pain and be taken to hospital with minor injuries.