Tokyo’s Shibuya Cracks Down on Littering, Fines Set at 2,000 Yen

Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward has strengthened its anti-littering measures under revised local regulations that took effect in April 2026, with penalties officially enforced starting in June.

TOKYO, JAPAN (MERXWIRE) – As tourism continues to recover, littering has become a growing problem in Tokyo’s Shibuya district. In response, Shibuya Ward revised its “Clean Shibuya Ordinance” to improve the city environment. Under the new rules, not only litterers but also businesses and vending machine operators that fail to provide trash bins may face fines.

According to Shibuya Ward officials, the number of domestic and international visitors has increased rapidly since pandemic restrictions were lifted, leading to a noticeable rise in street waste. Although the ward previously relied on public awareness campaigns, patrol guidance, and requests for businesses to install trash bins, officials said the measures had limited success.

Under the revised ordinance, anyone caught littering within Shibuya Ward can be fined 2,000 yen.

In addition, food and beverage businesses in parts of Shibuya, Harajuku, and Ebisu — including convenience stores, supermarkets, cafés, fast-food restaurants, food trucks, and street vendors — are now required to install and properly manage trash bins. Businesses that fail to comply may face fines of up to 50,000 yen.

Operators of food and beverage vending machines are also required to provide and maintain recycling containers. Violators may likewise be fined up to 50,000 yen.

To strengthen enforcement, Shibuya Ward plans to deploy up to 50 patrol staff members who will monitor streets 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In addition to reminding people to follow the rules, patrol staff will also issue fines directly to violators.

As Shibuya remains a major destination for international tourists, patrol teams will provide multilingual support in English, Chinese, and Korean to help overseas visitors understand the regulations.

Patrol staff will also inspect whether businesses and vending machines have properly installed and maintained trash bins. Operators found violating the rules will first receive guidance and requests for improvement.

One office worker from Tokyo said the amount of litter in Shibuya has clearly increased alongside the rise in tourism.

“Sometimes there just aren’t enough trash bins, so people end up leaving drink cups or food wrappers on the street,” the interviewee said. “I think increasing the number of trash bins would be more effective than simply issuing fines.”

A woman in her 20s who frequently visits Shibuya also supported the new measures.

“Shibuya is a place many foreign tourists visit, so cleaner streets would improve the overall impression of the area,” she said. “But I hope the government focuses on making trash bins easier to find instead of relying only on penalties.”

Experts say that rather than simply telling people not to litter, creating an environment where it is easy to dispose of trash properly is more important. They argue that encouraging people to care about keeping the city clean may ultimately be more effective than fines alone.

Shibuya is not the only tourist destination in Japan strengthening anti-littering rules. Yufu City in Oita Prefecture, a popular hot spring destination, also introduced a new anti-littering ordinance in April 2025. Under the rules, littering, failing to clean up dog waste, and smoking outside designated smoking areas can result in fines of 2,000 yen. Food and beverage businesses that fail to install or properly manage trash bins may also face fines of up to 50,000 yen.