Shibuya Implements On-the-Spot Fines for Littering Amid Tourism Boom

Litterbugs in the Japanese tourist hub of Shibuya will now face an on-the-spot fine of 2,000 Japanese yen ($13; £9), as new penalties take effect amid the country's tourism boom.

The fine collection system kicked in on Monday in Shibuya Ward, a commercial and entertainment centre that is home to the famed Shibuya Crossing.

In certain districts, authorities are also handing out fines for food and beverage shop operators who do not install waste bins.

Japan welcomed a record 42.7 million foreign visitors in 2025, and its government is trying to soothe the tensions this tourism boom has caused for local communities.

Officials say that around Shibuya there's been an increasing number of people, including foreign tourists, openly drinking and littering, public broadcaster NHK reported.

As part of the anti-littering campaign - which carries the slogan "if you throw trash, you lose cash" - those found littering in Shibuya will be fined on the spot and made to pay via cash, credit card or QR codes.

Authorities say up to 50 officials will be deployed to patrol neighbourhoods and impose the fines.

"We cannot tolerate littering simply because there are no rubbish bins," the Shibuya Ward authorities said in a press release. "We ask for your cooperation in creating a city where everyone can enjoy themselves comfortably."

Rubbish bins are notoriously scarce in Japan, partly due to safety concerns after past terror attacks in the country and abroad.

In a government survey last year, the lack of public rubbish bins was ranked the biggest inconvenience for tourists, cited by more than 20% of some 4,000 foreign visitors.

Tourism has soared in Japan after the Covid pandemic, fuelled by a weakened yen and high social media interest. But the massive influx of tourists is testing the country's urban infrastructure and local populations.

In the town of Fujiyoshida, near Mount Fuji, tourism has led to chronic traffic congestion and litter, as well as disruption to local residents' lives. Authorities cancelled the town's famous cherry blossom festival this year, saying the surge in tourists had become unmanageable for locals.

The Japanese government has come up with a range of measures to tackle overtourism, such as hiking its taxes for international tourists and introducing crowd-control apps, which provide real-time updates on how crowded certain areas are at certain times.