Over 300 Violations in a Month: Shibuya Launches Major Crackdown on Littering

Shibuya, one of Tokyo's most iconic bustling districts visited by millions of people every day, has been struggling with illegal littering. A crackdown on such activities began on June 1.

Those caught in the act are immediately fined 2,000 yen, which is approximately 18,000 won.

When a man discards a cigarette butt, a patrol officer approaches him immediately.

[Voice: "Did you throw that away?" "Yes, I did."]

He admits to the littering and pays the 2,000 yen fine on the spot.

Shibuya Ward announced that it had caught 324 cases and collected fines during the first month since the crackdown began.

Most of the litter consisted of cigarette butts and plastic bottles, and those in their 20s accounted for the highest number of violations.

However, there still seems to be a long way to go before illegal littering is completely eradicated.

Although signs reading "No Littering" are posted on the streets, piles of trash can still be found right next to them.

Bags of garbage are seen rolling around, and discarded bags are also visible.

Public reaction is mixed.

[Interview: Person in their 20s: "There is definitely less trash visible than before."]

[Interview: Teenager: "I don't think the street scene has changed completely. There is still trash scattered everywhere at night."]

Business owners who have to clean up trash every day continue to face difficulties.

[Interview: Restaurant owner: "It is a bit disappointing. Honestly, not much has changed. I start every morning by cleaning up, and I hope things get better."]

To increase the number of places to dispose of trash, cafes and convenience stores have also been required to install trash cans since last month.

While there are side effects, such as people who are not customers coming in just to dump their trash, business owners complain that they would rather have that.

[Interview: Cafe owner: "We end up cleaning the trash outside our shops anyway. It is better if they throw it in the trash can so we can clean it up all at once."]

Shibuya Ward stated that it will continue its efforts to create litter-free streets by improving patrol methods and taking other measures.

(Video reporting: Moon Hyun-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.