Officials with Tokyo's Shibuya Ward have started conducting patrols of some areas in a bid to prevent crowd trouble in the days leading up to Halloween on Sunday.

The event falls on the first weekend since the Tokyo Metropolitan Government lifted coronavirus restrictions on business hours for restaurants and bars.

In previous years, Halloween has attracted large numbers of revelers to the area near Shibuya station. On some occasions, rowdy crowd behavior has attracted criticism.

On Friday evening, about 20 ward officials patrolled an area crowded with people.

They called on some of them to stop drinking on the street. They have also asked convenience stores and other shops in the surrounding area to suspend the sale of alcohol on Saturday and Sunday.

A senior official expressed hope that people will enjoy Halloween at home, instead of drinking in public spaces.