There is a limit to mischievous acts. If disturbances erupt one after another, a much-awaited event will be shunned by society.
One night last weekend -- a few days ahead of Wednesday's Halloween -- there was great confusion along busy streets in Tokyo's Shibuya area, where fancy costume-clad young people and others had gathered.
Some used violence against people around them, striking and kicking them. Others groped women, and even went so far as to take photos of them surreptitiously. A lightweight truck was overturned by young people when it was stuck on the street. "They were just like rioters," a witness said.
Besides drunkenness, did they become carried away because of their costumes? Even so, their outrageous behavior was too much to tolerate. The Shibuya Ward mayor had every reason to denounce them, saying: "I feel furious. [Their conduct] cannot possibly be tolerated."
The Metropolitan Police Department arrested five people on suspicion of physically attacking and molesting others. It is only appropriate to deal harshly with such criminal acts.
The Halloween celebration is said to originate from religious rituals performed by ancient Celtic people in Europe to receive the souls of dead people. In the United States, it is customary for costume-clad children to go trick-or-treating to collect sweets from their neighbors.
Even in Japan, the celebration has rapidly spread since several years ago, with costume events and other celebrations taking place in various locations nationwide. According to the Japan Anniversary Association, this year's estimated market scale, derived from such gains as sales of pumpkin goods, will likely reach about 124 billion yen, a figure close to that of Valentine's Day.
Good clean fun
It is regrettable that coming with the greater liveliness of the celebration is a conspicuous increase in cases of troublesome behavior. A large amount of garbage is scattered on the streets. Restroom stalls at stations and commercial facilities are occupied by people who want to change clothes. There seems to be no end to problems caused by those making noise throughout the night.
This year, the Shibuya Ward office has asked convenience stores and others in the vicinity of stations to refrain from selling bottled alcoholic beverages. The move was unavoidable as it was intended to prevent injuries and flat tires due to broken bottles.
To avoid confusion, some shops in and around the area are said to close their doors earlier than usual. The nuisance caused in the celebration has also spread to the safety of residents in that neighborhood.
Needless to say, there are many young people, children and their parents who follow rules to enjoy the festivities. In provincial areas, the celebration is playing a role in revitalizing local communities and helping commercial facilities attract customers.
It is safe to say that some unwise people are preventing the Halloween celebration from taking root as a wholesome event.
A zero-garbage campaign in Shibuya, aimed at assisting in the separation of trash and cleanup activities by volunteers, has entered its fourth year. Such an endeavor should be further promoted.
The MPD has said it will maintain high-alert preparedness through Wednesday, by assigning hundreds of riot policemen and others to spots around Shibuya Station.
It is hoped that good manners will be observed to make Halloween a pleasant day.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 31, 2018)
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
