Passersby walk on the street at Shibuya shopping and amusement district in Tokyo, Japan July 28, 2022. Photo by Reuters
Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward has started slapping spot fines on people caught littering as it steps up efforts to address waste problems in one of Japan’s busiest commercial hubs.
Since June 1, people caught improperly disposing of trash can be fined 2,000 yen (US$13), according to The Mainichi newspaper.
The ward encompasses the iconic Shibuya Crossing, recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing, and attracts millions of shoppers, commuters, and tourists each year.
The anti-littering fine applies across the ward, including private property, with 50 officers on patrol around the clock and collecting both cash and cashless payments.
Japan is grappling with the challenges brought by a tourism boom.
It received a record 42.7 million visitors last year.
Local broadcaster NHK reported this has triggered concerns over public drinking and littering in Shibuya.
Authorities are also calling on businesses to take greater responsibility for their waste and encouraging consumers to either dispose of rubbish at the point of purchase or take it home.
Littering has long been a problem in Shibuya. It did introduce criminal penalties for littering in 1997, but officials say the measure was rarely enforced in practice.
The fine has been introduced to ensure better enforcement.
Officials say educational campaigns and verbal warnings alone are no longer sufficient to address the problem and stricter penalties are needed in the increasingly crowded district.
