Akio Kuroyanagi, professor of ocean engineering at Nihon University. Kanto beaches are caught up in a struggle between municipalities toughening regulations on beach shop operators and businesses protesting that the regulations exceed the local governments' bounds of power. (Mainichi Shimbun)
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Japan used to be tolerant of alcohol consumption and music at the beach, but now that local residents have come to be bothered by it I think that some amount of regulation is unavoidable. It will be g
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sensei258
It's only two months out of the year, let them have their fun.
StormR
regulations exceed the local governments’ bounds of power.
Because some local old foggies don't like something that doesn't make it illegal.
Too full of themselves, to have something made illegal is more than writing a sign.
dcog9065
Let them do what they want, in the end their town will suffer from big losses in business
Sensato
If Japan hopes to increase the birthrate, it's probably best that local governments not remove opportunities for young men and women in Japan to cut loose and interact.
The growing number of rules banning alcohol and music at beaches, and forbidding dancing at clubs is most definitely a symptom of an increasingly uptight/crotchety, elderly-oriented society.
nath
I think a bit of boozing and some tunes on the beach are fine on some beaches (like the busy urban iones) but not others (like the more remote, dreamy, natural ones). local council should be free to decide.
kaynide
Japan is such a convoluted mess when it comes to rules and regulations anyway. Honestly they should just make rules now more clear and actually enforce them. Closing loopholes would also help.
I don't think these new rules will be any more useful than those applying to Gambling or Prostitution... Gambling (as a whole) is illegal, yet you can play slot machines and bet on horse races. Even children can play slots at game centers. Prostitution is also illegal, yet we have Soaplands, Deri-Heru, and an entire district in Tokyo dedicated to it (Kabukicho)....
In the case of beaches, my home is branded as a "Family Friendly Resort Area", so there are some rules that work pretty well:
*At any outdoor places (beaches, parks) any person littering can be dealt a steep fine (I think it's $500 per incident).
*There is a noise level limit. Music's fine, but too noisy = being asked to leave.
*Oddly enough, there is a ban on profanity, with a $250 fine.
*Finally, the beach is patrolled by police (some on horseback)
presto345
Yes, but there are limits to tolerance. People today are more oblivious of others than a few decades ago. And there are those who go beyond the boundaries of freedom in public places. In the past some people used to bring small transistor radios or cassette players, but now they carry powerful sound systems. There definitely is more noise and more drinking too. There should be some codes of conduct and they should be enforced by officers of the law.
tmarie
The issue here is "all or nothing". Japan makes rules and never follows through with punishments which then means things get banned. Make decent rules - alcohol allowed by no drunks, music is allowed but must be turned off at a certain time... Then actually follow through on those rules!! No point in making rules and then not giving out punishments for those who break them. Banning tats, music, alcohol, fun.... Japan needs to get a grip.
fds
actually i understand drinking is still allows in the beach houses, just not on the beach. anyway, local rules, you don't like, don't go.
Laguna
Agree about the garbage. My dog and I often camp and cook on my propane stove at beaches just in front of signs prohibiting camping and barbecuing, and the locals totally welcome us because we leave the place cleaner than we find it. The mounds of garbage some beach-goers leave is astounding.
YongYang
When idiots ruin it for everyone...
Crush Them
At this point they should probably just ban fun and smiling across Japan.
nath
I enjoy being able to walk around with a cold beer and noshing all over Japan. It is not against the law, so, I enjoy it on the beaches too.