A revised ordinance banning street drinking at night all year round went into effect in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, on the 1st. In 2019, an ordinance was enacted banning drinking during Halloween and the year-end and New Year holidays, but the period has continued to expand due to problems with drinking. On the same day, Ward Mayor Ken Hasebe and others publicized the implementation of the revised ordinance at Shibuya Center Gai.

Hasebe, Chief Minoru Makinose of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Shibuya Police Station, and others held banners that read “No drinking on the street” as they paraded through Center Gai, which is crowded with young people and foreigners. At the ceremony prior to this event, Hasebe said, “Street drinking has become a problem in Shibuya. I want to send a message that it is not part of the culture of this city.”

According to Shibuya Ward, the revised ordinance bans drinking on the streets around Shibuya Station from 6pm to 5am the next day year-round. The prohibited areas have also been expanded to include areas around Shibuya Ward Office. There are no penalty provisions.