The specter of Itaewon has Shibuya spooked

One 12 months on, Elizabeth Beattie joins us to debate the place Itaewon stands after its Halloween catastrophe, and what its legacy means for celebrations in Japan.

Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

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Shaun McKenna: Articles | X

Elizabeth Beattie: Articles | X

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Shaun McKenna 00:08

Welcome to Deep Dive from The Japan Instances, I am Shaun McKenna. Over the previous 20 years Halloween has grow to be its personal distinctive factor in Japan, which I imagine comes right down to cultural traditions and norms. For instance, when you have youngsters, they’ve most likely already celebrated at their college or some neighborhood occasion placed on by the locals. Taking your youngsters to strangers houses or residences and demanding sweet? Effectively, that does not go over too nicely in Japan. In the course of the 2010s, nonetheless, Japanese companies realized that there’s some huge cash to be made in Halloween. And, earlier than the pandemic, the vacation was bringing in billions of yen. So municipal governments adopted the cash and positioned themselves as “Halloween pleasant.” Shibuya Mayor Ken Hasebe was a type of touting Halloween however this 12 months he is telling everybody to take the get together elsewhere, not on the streets of Shibuya, the place it is grow to be a little bit of a brand new custom. One purpose he needs folks to remain away is security. And he cites final 12 months’s Halloween crush in Seoul that killed 159 folks for example. My colleague, Elizabeth Beattie joins us right now to speak concerning the Itaewon crush a 12 months after it occurred and the way it has spooked Shibuya’s mayor.

Elizabeth earlier this 12 months, you had been in South Korea for vacation. The place did you go?

Elizabeth Beattie 01:29

I caught to Seoul and it wasn’t strictly a vacation as a result of, whereas I used to be there, I made a decision to do a little analysis for some tales on the identical time.

Shaun McKenna 01:37

Oh, you gotta watch that work-life stability.

Elizabeth Beattie 01:39

Look who’s speaking, Shaun. Actually, Seoul’s an incredible metropolis, it has all the time received superb meals, and it wasn’t my first time there however it had been a short while. One place I actually wished to revisit was the neighborhood of Itaewon. It had been fairly a very long time since I used to be final there and clearly a variety of issues have modified in that point.

Shaun McKenna 02:00

Inform us what has modified.

Elizabeth Beattie 02:03

Effectively, after all many individuals may have heard of the tragedy that struck Itaewon round this time a 12 months in the past, it was Oct. 29, so a 12 months in the past this coming Sunday.

Information Clip 02:12

We start in East Asia the place South Korea’s president has declared a interval of nationwide mourning following a crush within the capital Seoul…

Elizabeth Beattie 02:20

And a variety of the press referred to her and nonetheless refers back to the incident as “the crush.”

Information Clip 02:24

The loss of life toll now tops 150 within the crush of people that had been out celebrating Halloween…

Elizabeth Beattie 02:30

There have been 26 international nationals who handed away amongst that group had been two Japanese ladies — An Kozuchi, who was simply 18, from Saitama Prefecture, and Mei Tomikawa, additionally younger, solely 26, from Hokkaido. In reality, 80% of those that died that night time in Itaewon had been of their 30s or youthful. There have been additionally victims from Iran, China, the USA and 11 different nations apart from South Korea. A reported 100,000 folks had been in Itaewon that night time, and the road the place the crush came about is about 45 meters lengthy and three.2 meters vast at its narrowest level, in order that’s 150 toes lengthy and 10 toes vast. It was additionally reported there was a brief wall that made it even narrower. And all these individuals who had been out had been out to have a good time Halloween.

Information Clip 03:20

There was simply clearly waves of individuals coming in. That is like the center of Itaewon. So waves are coming in from each side, and extra folks fell … after which I misplaced my buddy.

Shaun McKenna 03:32

So that you’re visiting Itaewon virtually a 12 months later. What does the realm appear like now?

Elizabeth Beattie 03:38

Effectively, one thing that actually stands out within the space is the truth that there are much more empty buildings, and much more “for hire” indicators and areas put up pandemic. Then while you stroll down the alleyway itself the place the crush occurred, on the base of the incline is a makeshift memorial that is form of made up of those colourful Publish-it notes. They’re fairly sun-faded, they usually say messages like “I nonetheless miss you,” “Let’s meet in one other life,” so fairly emotional sorts of issues. There’s additionally images and some flowers there as nicely. And whereas I used to be standing within the alleyway, making notes for my reporting, little clusters of individuals had been stopping and writing issues down or stopping to learn the messages.

Shaun McKenna 04:20

That is truly fairly unhappy. Do you get the sense that Itaewon continues to be caught in its grief?

Elizabeth Beattie 04:26

It is tough to inform for individuals who skilled or witnessed the tragedy that has a bruised their reminiscence of Itaewon, down that alleyway the place you’ve got folks form of stopping to recollect or including their very own recollections to that memorial wall. It’s fairly a heavy environment. So it is arduous to not overlay a way of grief to the realm, however Itaewon itself has lengthy been a vibrant multicultural neighborhood. Its historical past goes again a good distance, after all, possibly across the Forties the neighborhood started to form of get this worldwide popularity due to the close by U.S. navy base, so it could cater to folks related to the bottom, and that included, on the time, bars and brothels.

Shaun McKenna 05:07

So it wasn’t simply related to internationalism, it had a little bit of a seedy rep, I am guessing.

Elizabeth Beattie 05:12

Yeah, and that went via to the Nineties. Extra just lately its seen as a cosmopolitan place – a spot for, say a number of international eating places and providers — the Seoul Central Mosque is there. And strolling via the streets it feels far more numerous than different components of town. It’s also referred to as certainly one of Seoul’s most important LGBTQ districts, with a variety of bars that cater to that group. South Korea continues to be a fairly conservative place and the folks I spoke to for my piece mentioned that Itaewon serves as form of a “protected area” for them. Should you learn accounts of what the environment is like there, you’ll hear about homosexual {couples} feeling like they’re capable of maintain arms in public there.

Shaun McKenna 05:51

Proper, nicely that is good.

Elizabeth Beattie 05:53

Yeah, it performs a very vital position for folks. There’s additionally a TV present on Netflix known as “Itaewon Class,” and that is been praised for its reasonable portrayal of the discrimination confronted by non-Koreans and the LGBTQ group.

Shaun McKenna 06:08

Attention-grabbing. So after I went to Seoul, I actually solely knew about Hongdae as I used to be into music, and there was a vibrant indie scene in that space, a minimum of so far as I knew this was some time in the past, however I went to some nice reveals and bars. I simply actually loved it, yeah.

Elizabeth Beattie 06:22

Yeah, it is actually vital to have these areas for tradition and group, particularly for international communities dwelling abroad. I spoke to Jill Dunbar and he or she’s a medical psychologist at a counseling group known as Adaptable Human Options. And he or she mentioned that Itaewon is vital as a result of the folks you meet there’ll typically have an identical lived expertise to you, as a member of a minority group. And that comes with a substantial amount of assist for these making an attempt to navigate their method via a tradition totally different to their very own. In order that’s the place we had been a minimum of previous to the pandemic.

Shaun McKenna 06:56

OK, so what occurs in the course of the pandemic?

Elizabeth Beattie 06:58

Effectively, South Korea was praised in the course of the pandemic for its contact-tracing system of monitoring COVID-19 circumstances. Nonetheless, among the folks I spoke to mentioned that meant you might hint whether or not or not the individual had gone to areas like Itaewon, which might then possibly result in relations asking why they had been going there. And it had this impact of form of outing younger Koreans. These outings began being lined by newsletters related to the highly effective community of Protestant church buildings and with folks sitting at dwelling in the course of the pandemic, these tales actually took off and started to create this type of ethical outrage with conservative media decrying Itaewon as a form of “den of sin.”

Shaun McKenna 07:37

I am guessing some anti-LGBTQ forces locally additionally received concerned.

Elizabeth Beattie 07:42

Sure. One individual I spoke to for my story, professor Ryan Thoreson, mentioned this hostility is compounded by the truth that South Korea lacks a complete anti-discrimination regulation. The United Christian Church buildings of Korea is a big Protestant group made up of some 56,000 church buildings and it has been credited with halting the passage of such laws for near twenty years. In order that’s a gaggle that wields a variety of political energy.

Shaun McKenna 08:08

So how does this all tie again into the crush?

Elizabeth Beattie 08:11

Effectively, following the crush, there’s been makes an attempt by native politicians to attempt to revitalize Itaewon. Nonetheless, some members of the LGBTQ group are involved that conservatives will not attempt to preserve that numerous and progressive spirit. We have seen some examples already this 12 months of politicians not prioritizing LGBTQ communities. One was Seoul’s Satisfaction Parade was hit by protests this 12 months by church teams. And when organizers tried to get permission to carry their occasion, the allow was as an alternative given to a Christian youth live performance. The organizers of the live performance denied any try to dam the Satisfaction Parade. However the LGBT group spoke about being form of focused by way of paperwork. Forward of the allow incident, the conservative mayor of Seoul mentioned he personally could not agree with homosexuality, for instance,

Shaun McKenna 09:08

This push and pull between progressives and conservatives appears to be a giant situation in South Korea simply now. We ran a New York Instances article by author Choe Sang-hun titled “Why South Korea has so many protests, and what which means.” In it, he and photographer Chang W. Lee define the various protests which might be each for and in opposition to conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol. What’s attention-grabbing, and also you get this within the movies that go along with the article, is how theatrical the protests are. I’m used to Japan the place those I’ve seen are sometimes extra simply marches that go down the road.

Elizabeth Beattie 09:47

Effectively, one of many activists I spoke to described the best way Seoul Satisfaction differs from different Satisfaction occasions in Asia in regard to that degree of hostility and, such as you mentioned, the usage of very theatrical protests. In reality, they mentioned Japan Satisfaction and Taiwan Satisfaction really feel virtually subdued as a result of you do not have this immense quantity of animosity directed in the direction of attendees. And talking of politics, this additionally ties again to Itaewon in that lots of people had been crucial of the federal government’s dealing with of the crush, and blamed President Yoon particularly. No less than within the rapid aftermath of the crush, about 7 out of 10 Koreans positioned blame on him. One of many folks I spoke to for my piece, professor Kyung Moon Hwang, and virtually each different individual I spoke to, identified that South Koreans additionally linked the best way the crush was dealt with and the best way the authorities dealt with the sinking of the Sewol ferry again in 2014.

Shaun McKenna 10:43

So, to remind our listeners, the sinking of the ferry was on April 16, 2014. That boat was touring from Incheon to Jeju. And there have been 476 passengers on board, 325 of whom had been college students, after which solely 172 survived, together with the captain who deserted the ship.

Elizabeth Beattie 11:04

So there are a variety of parallels right here with Itaewon crush, you had a bunch of emergency calls coming in earlier than the precise incident occurred within the case of Itaewon. After which when it got here to the Sewol ferry, it took fairly a size of time earlier than emergency providers actually responded to the emergency calls they had been receiving as nicely. There’s this actual notion that authorities did not act quick sufficient. Should you hearken to the calls, there’s an actual subdued response, and apparently missing in urgency from officers, whereas the boat that these youngsters are round was actually filling up with water. There is a heartbreaking New Yorker documentary concerning the occasion and it contains this piece of cellphone footage from contained in the ship the place these youngsters are evaluating, with a terrifying foresight, the scenario they’re in to a different earlier tragedy. And whereas the speaker is contained in the sinking ship, is instructing passengers to remain the place they’re and keep calm, one younger individual says is not this the form of scenario the place they let you know, “Keep put it is going to be OK. And so they run for his or her lives.” And that is precisely what the captain did on this case. He survived however most of his passengers did not.

Shaun McKenna 12:12

Proper, proper. And also you had been saying as nicely, just like the ferry was a catastrophe that had a variety of younger victims. And from what we had been speaking about earlier, it appears to be the identical case with the Itaewon crush, possibly barely older, however it’s nonetheless fairly a younger demographic, proper?

Elizabeth Beattie 12:27

For certain. And I believe with each disasters, there was this concept that there have been indicators beforehand. You realize, with Itaewon, particularly, there have been these emergency calls that occurred earlier than the precise crush incident. Folks had been saying the neighborhood was method too crowded, there wanted to be some type of crowd management. And the precise emergency unfolded amid a variety of confusion. I spoke to 1 one that was there who mentioned you could not inform if folks had been terrified or partying as a result of there wasn’t that sense of an official presence. There’s additionally a variety of blame placed on the federal government officers who victims households imagine ought to have been extra accountable and may have completed extra to forestall this.

Shaun McKenna 13:07

Proper. Effectively, thanks very a lot, Elizabeth. That story on the anniversary of the Itaewon crush is popping out this weekend, yeah?

Elizabeth Beattie 13:13

Yeah, that is proper.

Shaun McKenna 13:14

Cool, I sit up for studying it. So retaining all this in thoughts, all the parallels, I believe I can possibly perceive the place Shibuya Mayor Ken Hasebe is likely to be coming from and why he is reluctant to permit tens of 1000’s of partiers into the realm of Shibuya Crossing. We’ll discuss that after a fast pause.

Shaun McKenna 13:53

That was Shibuya Mayor Ken Hasebe talking on the Overseas Correspondents Membership of Japan, and I am again with my producer Dave Cortez. Dave, thanks for stepping in. We had been truly going to usher in another friends however they received the flu.

Dave Cortez 14:04

Yeah, so for abroad listeners, the flu is hitting Japan arduous. Shaun you had it final week, and I am again to sporting masks on the prepare.

Shaun McKenna 14:14

Authorities are citing two causes. No. 1 is that Japan hasn’t had an influenza outbreak for some time and folks had been all masked up in the course of the pandemic which implies immunities down, and No. 2 vacationers are again and bringing their germs with them.

Dave Cortez 14:28

The vacationers are catching no chill in Japan this 12 months.

Shaun Mckenna 14:31

Simply the chills.

Dave Cortez 14:33

Precisely. And yeah, an enormous upswing in tourism is likely one of the the reason why Shibuya Mayor Ken Hasebe has grow to be “The Grinch Who Stole Halloween.” No, however severely, I actually do sympathize with the man. He appears to be making an attempt to deal with an actual drawback.

Shaun McKenna 14:49

Yeah, the mayor has been reaching out to English-language media as a solution to get the message throughout to English audio system that regardless of what you’ve got heard, Shibuya does not need you doing Halloween on its streets.

Dave Cortez 15:00

Yeah, I believe it’s kind of extra nuanced than that. Proper? The mayor does not need tens of 1000’s of individuals ingesting and wandering the streets of Shibuya, which is a spot the place folks dwell and work, you already know?

Shaun McKenna 15:09

Yeah. Gotcha. Earlier than we get right into a extra common dialog, you’ve got been doing a little analysis on this. So what are the foundations he is set out for the Halloween weekend?

Dave Cortez 15:18

OK. See in the event you can comply with this. It comes right down to a variety of ordinances. Proper. So ingesting and smoking on the streets of Shibuya, particularly the realm that form of followers out from the Hajiko exit and takes in Mark Metropolis, the 109 constructing and the realm across the Miyashita Park advanced, that is restricted ranging from Friday, Oct. 27. till Tuesday, Oct. 31, Halloween, between the hours of 6 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Shaun McKenna 15:43

OK, so ingesting is restricted. What occurs in the event you get caught?

Dave Cortez 15:47

So the mayor factors out that he does not have the facility of the police. The people who shall be patrolling should not all cops, they would not be skilled on tips on how to cope with intoxicated people. Doubtless in the event that they catch you, they may ask you to only transfer on. Nonetheless, you will be arrested for being a public nuisance.

Shaun McKenna 16:07

Sounds just like the night time of 1,000 Karen’s. So what makes a public nuisance?

Dave Cortez 16:11

All proper. Effectively, on the FCCJ press convention earlier this month, the mayor outlined this as issues like enjoying music excessively loud, urinating in public and climbing up site visitors polls and avenue signage. So in the event you’re ingesting after which doing one thing unlawful, then the police will certainly become involved.

Shaun McKenna 16:28

On that be aware, what position are the police gonna play?

Dave Cortez 16:32

So, extra police and safety guards shall be added to the realm and the mayor mentioned the quantity shall be as much as 50% from final 12 months. They’re going to even be monitoring site visitors, the circulation of site visitors, proper. There’s additionally going to be 300 safety guards at 10 separate hubs across the space from Saturday to Tuesday. And really the mayor has additionally gone so far as asking companies to chorus from promoting alcohol between these 6 p.m. and 5 a.m. hours we talked about additionally Saturday to Tuesday. And he is saying that the companies are cooperating with this request.

Shaun McKenna 17:06

OK. Some headlines have been saying that the mayor is successfully banning Halloween. Is that the case right here?

Dave Cortez 17:12

Effectively, the mayor has been stressing that he is not making an attempt to cease folks from having personal Halloween events or golf equipment from internet hosting Halloween themed occasions. What he needs to tamp down on although is that this large mass of individuals ingesting and roaming the streets. Shibuya is a serious transportation hub, as you already know, Shaun. Individuals who work and dwell there want to have the ability to get via the station. However what I believe the mayor was seeing had been these arrests that occurred for theft and assault in 2018, after which, you already know, the height of attendance, which was clocked round 40,000 folks in 2019. And you already know, this 12 months we’re seeing this phenomenon of overtourism in Japan.

Shaun McKenna 17:45

So over tourism is in reference to the extra unfavourable elements of the excessive ranges of vacationers coming to Japan. Proper?

Dave Cortez 17:52

Proper. You get the crowds in Kyoto. An enormous story this 12 months was clearly the crowds of Mount Fuji. Officers had been saying it was booked and you already know, you could not climb it. So that is additionally taking place in components of Tokyo, proper, however with Shibuya Halloween, you get it mixed with a variety of ingesting, and the mayor is simply nervous about one thing unhealthy taking place. You realize, he additionally famous that the costumes aren’t nearly as good anymore …?

Shaun McKenna 18:14

Oh so he is going as the style police this 12 months.

Dave Cortez 18:18

I imply, you already know, it appears like he is being harsh, proper? However truly, what he is making an attempt to level out is that it is actually simply throngs of individuals, both not sporting a fancy dress in any respect, or simply throwing on a easy masks and clearly simply there to drink and get together. So it is actually simply changing into a large number.

Shaun McKenna 18:40

So this present state of affairs has to do with the evolution of Shibuya Halloween, and we’ll use this phase of the present to debate the backstory. However first, Dave, have you ever ever skilled Shibuya Halloween?

Dave Cortez 18:52

Yeah, I positively have. I went there intentionally to get together a few occasions in my youth. However form of post-pandemic, I unintentionally wandered via, I believe final 12 months. I imply, actually, I imply, you form of grew up and you’ve got a full time job, and also you’re simply form of on the weekend doing errands and I used to be simply passing via not realizing it was that get together weekend and I went straight via f Sentā-gai (Middle Road) particularly, and it was chaos, and I actually could not get via. And so when you consider the Itaewon crush, I might positively really feel like there is a chance that that form of factor might occur there.

Shaun McKenna 19:27

And Sentā-gai is form of like that street that form of goes off of the primary crossing of Shibuya. So this crossing you see in all the films and every thing like that scramble, Middle Street is the road that goes off that. So listeners, Dave is way youthful than I’m. I believe I’ve steered away from Shibuya for Halloween since possibly 2013. I simply really feel like Shibuya Halloween has all the time appeared extra like how North People have a good time St. Patrick’s Day. You realize for that you simply like form of put on inexperienced and then you definately drink and the vacation feels prefer it’s all about ingesting, although it must be about Irish pleasure.

Dave Cortez 20:05

So how did we get to this place with Shibuya, then?

Shaun McKenna 20:09

Effectively, I believe truly there are two distinct tracks on the subject of Shibuya Halloween, there’s the rise of Shibuya Crossing, or Shibuya ekimae, so ekimae means station entrance in Japanese. After which there’s the rise of Halloween as a vacation in Japan. And I’ve lived in Japan for like just about all of this.

Dave Cortez 20:28

Again in my day.

Shaun McKenna 20:30

In my day, we might discover a JET trainer’s condominium in deep Kanagawa and a personal get together there and we preferred it! So I received a variety of nice data on the historical past of Halloween from Matt Alts pure invention e-newsletter. You may positively learn extra there and we will put a hyperlink within the present notes. However he factors out that one thing most individuals know is that Japan”s spooky season will not be in October, however in August.

Dave Cortez 20:55

O-Bon, proper?

Shaun McKenna 20:57

Yeah, the entire purpose we have now o-Bon is as a result of it is at a time of 12 months when the worlds of the dwelling and useless are form of at their closest, and the useless are capable of crossover. So all these matsuri or festivals that Japan has are a solution to welcome them after which ship them off once more.

Dave Cortez 21:12

Now that sounds form of healthful, truly.

Shaun McKenna 21:15

Yeah, I imply, so the thought of getting a spooky vacation in October wasn’t a giant factor in Japan. And Matt factors out that Disneyland form of takes the custom on board within the late Nineties, and that creates a form of cute interpretation of Halloween. So one which elementary college youngsters can take pleasure in.

Dave Cortez 21:32

Yeah, I truly observed that this final weekend, there was a ton of faculty youngsters form of having Halloween themed events close to the stations that they had been dwelling round. So there positively appears to be an equipment for households to have a good time it one way or the other.

Shaun McKenna 21:43

Yeah, so trick-or-treating is not a giant factor right here. As a result of, you already know, Japanese folks is likely to be reluctant to take their youngsters door to door and demand sweet, particularly if they do not know their neighbors. So as an alternative, colleges and even group teams will step up and manage a extra central Halloween get together, and it isn’t all the time on Oct. 31. Normally, they assume they begin possibly the second week of October, they usually form of simply are each time the varsity can form of accommodate them.

Dave Cortez 22:07

Possibly Shibuya ought to try this.

Shaun McKenna 22:09

I imply, possibly they do, however for the Shibuya facet of the story, Mike Sunda wrote an incredible piece for The Japan Instances on the finish of 2019, form of reviewing Halloween as the vacation of the last decade and the way it modified Shibuya Crossing. Once more, I am going to put a hyperlink to that piece within the present notes. However Mike talks concerning the celebrations that occur there after the World Cup victories in 2002. I did occur to go to these and it was loopy with folks climbing the site visitors poles and celebrating, however like, that is a one-time factor. I believe that the authorities can form of take a look at that and simply say, “Oh, it is simply form of spontaneous, like, exhibiting of celebration.” And in that method, like, Shibuya form of grew to become Tokyo’s reply to Osaka Dotonbori River Bridge.

Dave Cortez 22:52

Yeah, they have been having that form of situation just lately, particularly after the Hanshin Tigers have been profitable. Folks had been leaping into the river.

Shaun McKenna 22:58

Which is a convention, proper? Yeah, yeah. However the authorities are saying that the river is sort of a public rest room.

Dave Cortez 23:03

However you already know, they do it anyway.

Shaun McKenna 23:07

Yeah. So I believe the subsequent piece to this complete puzzle is the international aspect. So I believe it was within the 2000s when foreigners began this custom of dressing up for Halloween and storming the Yamanote Line. And Matt goes into element about this, how there can be like form of possibly classifieds in Metropolis form of promoting this as a result of we did not have social media. However as soon as this was form of established as a factor, it received a variety of anticipated backlash, particularly a few of it from indignant proper wingers and the international partiers, mainly, form of like disembarked the Yamanote Line they usually get off at Shibuya.

Dave Cortez 23:46

Yeah, I bear in mind transferring right here in 2015, and the primary couple Halloweens in Shibuya that I skilled folks had been actually laying horizontal on the baggage racks within the trains, proper. So yeah, completely. The density was excessive. And I did discover a shift away from the station and, such as you mentioned, clamoring to be on the Yamanote a or close to it, clearly into Sentā-gai.

Shaun McKenna 24:09

Yeah. So I imply, with Shibuya as nicely, form of just like the international group had been gathering there for New Yr’s Eve celebrations. Possibly considering that each one the screens there may present a countdown, you already know, prefer it form of appears like Instances Sq.. In order that they’re simply associating it like that. However I imply, in Shibuya you’ve got easy accessibility to bars. So in the event you get bored on the crossing, you may all the time discover one thing to do. However now it is the 2010s and persons are gathering at Shibuya for Halloween, and Hachiko statue is sort of a place to collect. You form of see all these folks decked out of their costumes, and possibly that is the place the precise, form of like, get together is, and folks cease transferring on to different locations they usually simply stick across the station entrance.

Dave Cortez 24:55

Yeah, and that completely is smart. And clearly the 2010s are after we actually get into social media. Uh, so it clearly was quite a bit simpler for folks to form of discover, “Hey, there’s one thing happening over there. Let’s go get together with our costumes in Shibuya.”

Shaun McKenna 25:07

Yeah, I believe that is it. I believe Shibuya is now filling the position of this central gathering place like a Time Sq., or possibly the Champs-Elysees, for holidays and particular events of celebration. So Mike’s piece on Shibuya notes that the added costumes of Halloween made the gathering much more particular. So you might form of lose your identification, you would not have to evolve to those inflexible guidelines that are likely to dictate Japanese social conditions round age and stuff like that. You may simply discuss to strangers mainly. And because of this, Shibuya Halloween is also referred to as a little bit of a hookup spot.

Dave Cortez 25:43

So it is somewhat totally different, proper? And I imply, to me, that form of begs the query, why aren’t the authorities involved about different large occasions in Tokyo? Proper? Why is it simply Shibuya? You realize, like large matsuri or firework festivals?

Shaun McKenna 25:55

I believe that’s a very good query. So we spoke to Alex Martin again in July about Japan’s matsuri and the way they’re liable to disappearing as a result of there are not any younger folks to take over the group of them. I believe the important thing factor there’s that there are organizers. There’s teams of individuals from all ages, who, not all of them are getting drunk, they usually’re ensuring issues are working easily. So if there’s an accident, then they’ve folks readily available to deal with these accidents. And there is simply this sense of management versus the chaos of Shibuya Halloween. And I believe Mayor Hasebe has tried to impose a way of management on Shibuya Halloween, however what he is seeing now’s extra simply chaos.

Dave Cortez 26:36

Yeah, I believe in the event you’ve lived in Japan for some time, it’s best to have the ability to inform the distinction between a chaotic spontaneous get together and a nicely organized municipal matsuri. For instance, I went to the Kawagoe matsuri a few weeks in the past. I additionally went to the Ome matsuri earlier this 12 months, and it was fairly apparent that they had been deliberate, closely deliberate. Persons are being trafficked in sure instructions. There’s trash cans in sure locations. When the mikoshi is coming down a really crowded avenue, it is nicely taken care of about pushing folks out of the best way, or form of warning them. And that is in stark distinction to the form of madhouse that’s Shibuya Halloween, or New Yr’s for that instance. So yeah, you are proper. The group is the large distinction.

Shaun McKenna 27:18

And one other factor that the mayor was saying on the FCCJ press convention was there is a new added drawback of individuals in automobiles form of like driving via the Shibuya Crossing space for Shibuya Halloween. In order that they’re revving their engines, they usually’re enjoying music actually loudly, and so it is also including to this type of noise air pollution. Shibuya station is not a quiet place by any means, however this doesn’t assist. I believe he form of is like implying the concept it simply appears to be folks showboating, and form of like, I do not know, Tokyo drifting via the crosswalk. I believe the opposite factor that possibly he is additionally seeing is that there have been a number of incidents of individuals driving their automobiles into crowds of individuals, and this is also one thing that occurs. I am not making an attempt to present anyone any concepts, however like, you already know, I believe as a mayor, he is form of seeing all of those several types of disasters. And he is form of saying, nicely, what if that occurs in Shibuya?

Dave Cortez 28:19

So that you’re saying he is doing his job and taking notes and making an attempt to make the place protected?

Shaun McKenna 28:23

I believe so. In the end, Shibuya’s objective is to facilitate site visitors, that is foot site visitors in addition to vehicular site visitors. And that’s its complete objective. It has organically advanced to grow to be one thing of a city sq. or assembly place. However Halloween abroad is not a large swarm. It is normally personal costume events, and even the thought of trick-or-treating entails getting sweet and transferring on, proper?

Dave Cortez 28:48

Oh, for certain. And really, I believe if something, this type of reveals the need for a mass gathering the place you may have a good time with different folks. You realize, even St. Patrick’s Day, essentially the most well-known mass gatherings normally heart on a parade. And the Shibuya Mayor mentioned that they tried floating the thought of a Halloween parade that might stretch via Shibuya, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro.

Shaun McKenna 29:07

Yeah, I believe, additionally, that is why hanami are so standard, proper? It is a huge communal celebration. And within the meantime, Itaewon I believe merely confirmed Mayor Hasebe’s personal fears about what might occur in Shibuya, down Sentā-gai. He is seen the warning indicators and he does not need to threat a serious tragedy.

Dave Cortez 29:25

Effectively, Shaun, you are not being a fuddy duddy and asking folks to not have a good time Halloween, proper?

Shaun McKenna 29:34

I grow to be the Karen. No, I believe that having listened to Elizabeth discuss Itaewon earlier, I perceive that there have been indicators missed. And you already know, nobody needs a repeat of one thing like that. I believe additionally, on the identical time, Mayor Hasebe’s problem is definitely deciding what Shibuya can do to fulfill this type of want for some form of communal celebration. And I believe he is form of received some concepts like the thought of the parade, which might contain form of the cooperation of the opposite totally different wards in Tokyo, not simply Shibuya. I assume we’ll see if we will provide you with one thing for the long run. I imply, within the meantime, Shibuya, it’s not prefer it’s any much less enjoyable.

Dave Cortez 30:15

That is true. The get together nonetheless rages on, clearly, each weekend advert nauseam. So on that be aware, we could wrap issues up?

Shaun McKenna 30:22

Certain, Dave. Thanks for becoming a member of me on Deep Dive.

Dave Cortez 30:25

Thanks, Shaun.

Shaun McKenna 30:31

My thanks once more to Elizabeth Beattie and Dave Cortez for becoming a member of me on the present. We’ll put hyperlinks to the sources we cited within the present notes. Elsewhere within the information, the Supreme Court docket on Wednesday dominated as “unconstitutional” a clause in home regulation that requires trangender people to endure sterilization surgical procedure to alter their assigned-at-birth gender of their household registry. The court docket made its determination after a case was filed by a transgender lady who has not undergone the surgical procedure. Advocates hope the choice will pave the best way for a authorized revision permitting transgender people to alter their authorized gender with out having surgical procedure, a transfer that might put Japan in step with worldwide requirements. Within the leadup to the choice, my colleague Tomoko Otake wrote concerning the historical past of Japan’s sterilization legal guidelines and spoke to 1 one that underwent surgical procedure and now wonders if he needed to. And the Worldwide Financial Fund tasks that Germany will overtake Japan when it comes to nominal gross home product by the tip of the 12 months, making Germany the third largest financial system on this planet and Japan the fourth. Japan held the No. 2 spot after the USA till 2010 when it was overtaken by China. The yen’s regular depreciation, which as soon as once more hit ¥150 to the American greenback for the second time this 12 months on Monday, is seen as partly responsible for the slide in place. Deep Dive from The Japan Instances is produced by Dave Cortez. Our outgoing theme is by Oscar Boyd, and the opening theme is by LLLL. I’m Shaun McKenna, podtsukaresama.