Tokyo district mayor bans Halloween, fearing 'fatal accident' from overpacked street celebrations
Annual Halloween street parties in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo have been banned due to fear of a possible crowd crushing disaster.
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A district mayor in Japan's biggest city is banning annual Halloween celebrations in the area.
Shibuya city Mayor Ken Hasebe held a news conference Thursday, when he discouraged Halloween party-goers from coming to the ward, which is famous for its annual celebrations.
"This year, we are making it clear to the world that Shibuya is not a venue for Halloween events," Hasebe said. "Please, do not come to the Shibuya station area for Halloween."
Hasebe said the decision was made to prevent possible crowd-crushing disasters caused by over-packed streets.
"We have a strong sense of crisis that we may not be able to ensure the safety and security of residents and visitors," he said.
The mayor specifically referenced a tragedy that occurred in the Itaewon district of Seoul, South Korea, last year, when over 150 people were killed in a massive crowd crush disaster.
"A fatal accident like Itaewon can happen here any time," he said.
Shibuya — known for its massive, highly-trafficked crossing area near its station — has been the site of annual Halloween bloc parties in recent years.
Past celebrations have brought thousands of Japanese and foreign partiers, clogging streets with elbow-to-elbow pedestrian traffic and widespread alcohol consumption.
Halloween has seen a surge of interest in Japanese society in recent years, inspiring civil and corporate events themed around the foreign holiday.
