Group referred to prosecutors for bed prank at Shibuya crossing

lift up the bed with the YouTuber still inside to hurry to safety before the pedestrian lights turned red.

So they are guilty of what? Cars still can use that crossing after light turned to green.

“Can be considered dangerous” but no danger actually was caused, so a person’s perspectives are now valid in making an arrest. Again, no harm was done! No property was damaged. What is next, I put on a costume with a bed sticking out in front of me and back of me, I stop for 30 seconds to tie my shoes, and they arrest me? It just gets more and more ridiculous. The moral here is that these prosecutors can spend an unlimited amount of money chasing after everyone. There are no limits!

While it looks innocent to me, there might be a law limiting the crosswalk to certain kinds of traffic and forbidding the placement of objects that could impede such traffic.

viewers who considered the prank to be dangerous.

How? Nuisance yes, dangerous....ehhh maybe if people trip over the mattress?

There have been recurring incidents of YouTubers causing trouble as they increasingly take more risks in their attempts to gain more followers.

Yes, this is not a good trend. Vloggers or Youtubers are a plague.

While it looks innocent to me, there might be a law limiting the crosswalk to certain kinds of traffic and forbidding the placement of objects that could impede such traffic.

I think you're spot on.

I'm sure there were meetings, tooth sucking, and then.. probably not wanting to open the door to one upmanship on the crossing of this stunt.

They were in and out of the scramble before the light turned. Was there any actual harm done? No.

Right. They did no more harm than anyone else stopping for selfies in that intersection.

Ah! But the stunt was a nail which stuck out. WHAM!!! BAM!!! Yokoso Japan!!!

Meanwhile in this nation of paradoxes people (possibly some of those who thought the prank "dangerous") walk while texting, transport their children on bicycles without wearing helmets, regularly take all sorts of risks and drunkenly puke in public.

They did no more harm than anyone else stopping for selfies in that intersection.

If they started handing out fines for that, I wouldn't complain. And I'd love to see a worldwide ban on selfish-sticks.

(now get off my lawn! ;-) )

What we're witnessing is the setting of a dangerous precedent by the legal system of Japan, again.

There is NO law that forbids you from carrying objects through a crossing when the signal says you're clear to walk.

What the justice system is aiming to do is further increase its ability to arrest people for doing nothing. If this group of people is convicted it will set precedent allowing police to arrest anyone walking on sidewalks or crossing the street under whatever pretenses.

Police should not be allowed to arrest people for walking on the street, whether they're carrying a bed with them or not. I really hate to see how the place has become a police state. Things weren't like this 10 years ago.

It certainly isn’t dangerous but it also isn’t funny in the slightest.

Olympics will have skateboarding. Good luck with that one.

@TheRat

 I stop for 30 seconds to tie my shoes

It really depends on where you stop, doesn’t it?

So tired of these unfunny YouTube pranksters.

Don't really know what the allure of this intersection is to tell you the truth. I have been going up there for decades and to me it is just your average everyday intersection. Must be a generation gap type of thing.

So tired of these unfunny YouTube pranksters.

I'm tired of them also taking advantage of Japan's good nature and politeness.

Do this in NYC or San Francisco and watch some hobo whip it out on them!

So more people have now been referred to prosecutors for this than when ten identified people toppled a small truck in the same neighbourhood on Oct 31 last year.

It wasn't funny but it sure was dangerous and act of foolishness. Not heavy but little crime.

What if there were pregnant lady, elderely couples, lady with pram?

Some other prank groups might be influenced to do some other more dangerous pranks on that famous crossing and make it chaos.

So they should get some punishment and fines and sure needs a ban on pranks at such public location.

What if there were pregnant lady, elderely couples, lady with pram?

Please enlighten me. What if there were? Would the sight of a bed cause them some sort of damage or trauma?

There are way too many police in Japan if they have the time to sit around and drum up charges against everybody they don't like.

1000s of DV cases, child abuse cases, groping cases, and assault cases and this is what the police decide to use their time on?

Are you kidding Japan? You are going to waste time on THIS?!

THIS is dangerous? What about not using your blinker? What about smoking on the sidewalk in crowded no smoking zones. What about the lack of people wearing seat belts or child seats. TVs on the driver's side dashboard. Running red lights. Using a cellphone while walking or.... driving. You know, actually dangerous things that most of see every single day of our lives in Japan. I am sure you all can add much more to this list of common dangerous daily Japanese occurrences that society seemingly ignores.

This actually ties in to another story on this site, Did the driver of the small truck who tried to push his way through 1000s of people on Halloween get charged? No and that was a dangerous action, but a bed during a green light is referred to prosecutors. Wacky legal system from top to bottom.

Guilty until innocent, whatever.

@BackpackingNepal

What if there were pregnant lady, elderely couples, lady with pram?

Yes. I see your point. A possible accident. I wonder if the pranksters considered that? The law of unintended consequences covers this.

@commanteer

Please enlighten me. What if there were? Would the sight of a bed cause them some sort of damage or trauma?

A fight over who gets the bed next? No. See my response to commanteer.

Make that my response to BackpackingNepal.

What's the charge? And how many red light jumping drivers at that crossing have police referred to prosecutors? My guess is none at all.

STUPIED !!!! - I could find better things to do with my time.

think its dangerous when those men run carrying a Youtuber on the bed. especially if they fall down like this time

What a heinous, dastardly thing to do. The social order has been devastated by this. They must be incarcated for 23 days, derprived of sleep, put into solitary in stress positions. Take them daily to New Kempatei Headquarters (Tokyo District Prosecutors Ofice) until they confess.

Get you little rubber stamp inked, J-Judge.

A truely wicked, horrible crime.

Shibuya crossing is a big meh, always has been. Before smart phones no one cared in the slightest. It's a let's go there just to go there place. Waste of time.

Meanwhile club 'catchy' stop schoolgirls in the street offering illegal work, and drivers everywhere are on their phones while driving. Arrest the real culprits.

If anyone here has children and their children get caught doing such a prank - feel proud that your children are quite innocent in today's world.

Shibuya crossing is a big meh, always has been. Before smart phones no one cared in the slightest. It's a let's go there just to go there place. Waste of time.

I agree but it is basically kind of a symbol of crowded Tokyo to the rest of the World. It is one of the first images you see when people think about Tokyo.

there might be a law limiting the crosswalk to certain kinds of traffic and forbidding the placement of objects that could impede such traffic.

There might be. But if there is then that is what they could have been charged with not 'considered the prank to be dangerous'.

What if there were pregnant lady, elderely couples, lady with pram?

What if there were? What if a group of walkers stopped to take selfies, they would have created just as much of a hazard that any 'pregnant lady, elderely couples, lady with pram' could have easily walked around.

Also what about if there had been a gentleman with a pram?

This is surely about saving face.

The local constabulary would have seen red when these young "offenders" broadcasted their actions on YT, in effect belittling "those who are in charge".

No doubt there was some hauling over the coals from top down to the on-the-beat police officers.

Rather than see the lighter side of it and make reprimands if necessary, no - they gotta go the whole "not on my watch" bit and drum up some wonky fear inducing charges.

Police like politicians just can't accept anything - comment, cause, action etc which they percieve as piercing their overly thin skin.

What if there were pregnant lady, elderely couples, lady with pram?

What if there were? So what? They're given no consideration or respect much less a seat on a train which is specifically designated for them. Oh no. The standard practice is to fill those spaces with oblivious sleeping louts or able-bodied people using their mobile phones.

Why would anyone up-level their game in Shibuya crossing?

After reading a story like this, why would anyone want to come to Japan. What an anal bland country with no sense of humor. This prank was well thought out, with respect for the streetlights, the people walking, the traffic and probably the police.....Pranksters in other parts of the world would never be so respectful.

Who was harmed? No harm was caused to cars waited the same amount of time etc but prosecutors can charge anything because there are actually no laws. This is just more confirmation

While I agree with most posters that this isn’t actually serious or evil in any way, I kinda would assume that I would get into some trouble in Japan for pranking a busy intersection.

It is a joke however when Osaka gets 200 Bosozoku members through the downtown and other things people have mentioned, with no consequences.

The police probably want to discourage anyone from trying to compete or make videos at crossings etc, since its a trend.

Well as a film maker in Tokyo, you cannot just really shoot wherever you want to. While some can get away with guerilla shoots Shibuya crossing  is still  a public's property and coordination with the authorities is important. Yes some of you would say "Nothing Happened" so it's okay, yeah! But what if they failed this act? And in this kind of situation the risk of failing is high. It's not just a simple guerilla shoot, they are bringing a bed In the middle of a busy traffic, things can go wrong and it can domino effect if not coordinated very well. I've done guerilla shoots in Shibuya crossing so many times but they were just simple blockings with actors and camera operators. Carrying a bed with futon is not a simple act, if one can get away once that means people would think this act is okay and people will start to bring bigger and more complex things and why would we wait for a disaster before we take action and proper precaution? Do things properly so it will not cause inconvenience to everyone.

I kinda would assume that I would get into some trouble in Japan for pranking a busy intersection.

The prank did not block the movement of traffic or pedestrians, at least not any more than normal. So why would the assumption be that trouble would ensue?

Lighten up Japan.

Student pranks that dont cause significant impact to Society should not waste Police time.

A reprimand to their University may however be more significant.... but there-again, doing something that breaks the Mold of the Typical Japanese character is somewhat avante-garde and actually good for Japan.

I'd say, look at the impact, was it reckless in design with intent to cause disruption, or was it simply an expression - that has limited impact. If the later, then they should be commended.