Tokyo: the city that wants clubbers to sleep after midnight

Japan Times ^ | 09/16/2013 | Charis Eisen

[TexGrill]

Honorable Members of the National Diet,

I urge you to listen to young people’s voices and revise the Entertainment and Amusement Trade Control Law to allow late-night dancing in Tokyo and other cities throughout Japan.

Cosmopolitan Tokyo conjures up images of world-class restaurants, busy streets and the latest trends in fashion. But one thing jars with this image of a busy metropolis: that clubbing late at night is a crime.

The entertainment trade control law prohibits dancing after midnight in clubs smaller than 60 sq. meters. Recently, police have been cracking down on clubs in Tokyo because neighbors have complained about noise and antisocial behavior.

However, cracking down on clubbing after midnight is an unreasonable and Draconian action. It is time to revise this outdated law and allow dance clubs to operate all night.

Closing down clubs will not control noise and antisocial behavior. Rather, it leads to a redistribution of problems.

The entertainment law was originally promulgated in 1948 by GHQ during the U.S. Occupation to prevent crimes and antisocial behavior. The 60 sq. meter requirement made sense when dancing required a big band or orchestra, but nowadays a laptop and speakers are enough to energize clubbers.

Moreover, there is a double standard in the law. Many all-night entertainment establishments, including pachinko halls, izakaya, karaoke businesses and hostess bars, are more or less tolerated although these businesses also generate a certain amount of socially undesirable behavior.

[TexGrill]

Ironically, no such draconian laws for nightclubs in Beijing. Go to the Sanlitun District and even on weeknights, the clubs are jam-packed at 4 am.

[RayChuang88]

Well, that does explain why the last train of the night out of major commuter train stations in the Tokyo area are just as full as trains during rush hour....