Visitors Are Encouraged To Avoid Popular Tokyo Attraction

The government is worried that the massive turnout might trigger a catastrophic event.

Shibuya is a popular retail and entertainment zone in Tokyo, but the mayor has asked that Halloween revellers stay away. He worries that the massive influx of party-goers this year would lead to an incident like the one that killed hundreds in South Korea's capital city only a year ago.

“This year, we are making it clear to the world that Shibuya is not a venue for Halloween events. Please, do not come to the Shibuya station area for Halloween," he commented.

Mayor Ken Hasebe acknowledged that Halloween is a joyous occasion in many parts of the globe, but he expressed concern that a fatal crowd crush, such as the one that took the lives of 160 people in Seoul's Itaewon neighbourhood.

Because of the enormous number of people that cross at this famous junction near Shibuya's train station, the area is also referred to as "scramble crossing." On Halloween, it sees a steady influx of young people in costumes from nearby communities and beyond.

Shibuya's streets may have been less crowded during the epidemic, but last year's Halloween saw a surge in foot traffic. According to Hasebe, city officials were worried that this year's participation might be even higher. The fear that authorities may not be able to guarantee the protection of residents and tourists is "very concerning," he added.

In order to enforce a municipal rule against drinking alcohol near the station from October 27th to October 31st, Shibuya has greatly increased the number of security officers stationed there.

The city of Shibuya has announced that there will be overnight and early morning traffic restrictions during the event.

This is the first Halloween since Japan removed all border controls since the coronavirus outbreak.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, around 2.2 million individuals travelled to Japan in August, while the number of tourists is almost at pre-pandemic levels.

The three-year prohibition on group trips from China to Japan was lifted only last month, which is also expected to increase the number of Chinese visitors to Japan.

Hasebe warned that if nothing was done, crowds may reach 60,000 people. He went on to say that if no
precautions were made, the crowds would be incomparably greater than they were the previous year, leading to exacerbate traffic congestion and potentially fatal accidents.

 

 

Source: euronews.com