TOKYO - Nearly 1,500 businesses, including restaurants, have come under scrutiny as authorities move to address a growing issue in Ameyoko, one of Japan’s busiest shopping streets, where eateries have been expanding onto public roads without permits, prompting a crackdown by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.
Ameyoko Shopping Street in Tokyo’s Taito Ward was crowded with visitors during the final days of Golden Week as officers moved through the area calling out, "Pedestrians, please clear the way," and "Is the person in charge of the shop here?"
The crackdown focused on restaurants setting up tables and seating on the street, a practice that forces pedestrians to navigate around them and, in some cases, give way to oncoming foot traffic. Such "street operations" are illegal without a road use permit.
According to police, nearly 1,500 warnings and guidance notices have been issued over the past six months to businesses around Ameyoko, citing concerns that the encroachments obstruct emergency vehicle access.
Hirohisa Mizutani, chairman of the Nakato Sanshi Neighborhood Association and a longtime local resident, said the issue has been difficult for the community to manage. "We keep an eye on things during our patrols, but as private citizens, it’s hard to get shop owners to listen. It’s a serious problem because it blocks both emergency vehicles and pedestrian traffic," he said.
Ameyoko, which originated as a post-war black market, is now home to more than 400 shops and is considered one of Japan’s leading shopping districts. While regulations on street seating were relaxed during the COVID-19 pandemic to support struggling restaurants, Mizutani noted that many businesses have continued the practice even after those measures were lifted.
Police said they stepped up warnings in recent months, but with little improvement, they launched a full-scale enforcement operation.
At one restaurant, officers confiscated all tables and chairs that had been placed on the street, leaving customers visibly confused as the action unfolded.
The restaurant’s manager said, "There is a culture of drinking outside in Ueno, so we operated on the street while watching what other businesses were doing. We will discuss this internally and consider how to proceed."
The Metropolitan Police Department is urging businesses to cooperate in ensuring streets remain safe and accessible for both pedestrians and vehicles.
Source: TBS
