Tokyo police and local business owners conducted an "environmental purification patrol" on Takeshita Street in Harajuku on Friday [1], [2].
This initiative aims to protect vulnerable visitors during the summer holiday season. Authorities are concerned that students and foreign tourists visiting the district for the first time are primary targets for predatory solicitation and crowd-related accidents.
Approximately 100 participants [1], including Harajuku Police Station Chief Jun Okumura, joined the effort. The group focused on issuing warnings to malicious touts and removing illegal signage from the crowded thoroughfare [1], [2].
"I have great expectations that this initiative will allow residents of this area to live in peace, business owners to conduct business with peace of mind, and visitors to enjoy this town with peace of mind," Okumura said [1].
The Metropolitan Police Department said that the patrols were designed to warn against malicious touts because many students and foreign tourists visit Harajuku during the summer vacation [1].
This Friday operation is the start of a broader seasonal campaign. The police department said the patrols will be conducted every Friday through the end of August, totaling five sessions [1].
“Approximately 100 participants, including Harajuku Police Station Chief Jun Okumura, joined the effort.”
The coordinated effort between the Metropolitan Police Department and local merchants reflects a strategic move to preserve the reputation of Harajuku as a safe international tourist destination. By targeting illegal signage and predatory touts during the high-traffic summer window, authorities are attempting to mitigate the 'overtourism' friction that often leads to increased crime and safety hazards in Tokyo's dense shopping districts.
