Tokyo’s Shibuya cancels New Year’s celebration for the fourth year in a row
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The tourist hot spot has also banned alcohol on Halloween to discourage raucous gatherings.
PHOTO: AFP
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Tokyo’s Shibuya district will be cancelling its New Year’s Eve countdown for a fourth consecutive year due to an influx of visitors, citing concerns over safety and security of the crowd.
In an online notice, Shibuya mayor Ken Hasebe said security will be “strengthened from (2022)” to prevent accidents in the crowd and “safety measures will be implemented in cooperation with the police, public transportation, and fire departments”.
Shibuya is also banning public drinking from 6pm on Dec 31 till 5am on Jan 1, 2024. Kiosks, convenience stores and retailers in the area are asked to refrain from selling alcoholic beverages during this period.
In addition, it has cooperated with companies operating the large digital screens surrounding the famous scramble crossing to cease advertisements and displays at 11pm on Dec 31, an hour before they are normally switched off.
The tourist hot spot banned alcohol on Halloween to discourage raucous gatherings a year after a deadly tragedy in South Korea,
