It was a cloudy afternoon in Shibuya, one of Tokyo¡¯s busiest areas, and a team of city officials was on high alert. They scanned the crowds, looking to catch anyone littering and to deliver on-the-spot fines ¡ª part of a new campaign to encourage better behavior among visitors.
When an unassuming tourist discarded a small piece of paper on the ground, the officials pounced. Holding a binder of notices and a payment terminal, they fined him ?2,000, or about $12.50. As his friends laughed, the tourist shook his head and pulled out his wallet. The entire encounter lasted about three minutes.
In Shibuya, one of Tokyo¡¯s 23 wards, dropping trash now comes with a price tag. As of June 1, litterbugs face immediate fines under a new ordinance. The rules are meant to help combat a surge in littering, officials say, as Japan has welcomed a record number of tourists over the past few years.
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