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Gov't to ease strict dancing laws for clubs, other establishments

34 Comments

Japan's National Police Agency is finalizing plans to amend the law that places strict regulations on dancing at nightclubs and some establishments offering dance classes.

Currently, the law -- which dates back to 1948 -- makes it illegal for drinking establishments to allow customers to dance unless the business has the proper "dance license." Even with the license, however, there are further restrictions regarding the hour at which dancing has to stop (midnight), and also the suggestive nature of the dancing.

Such strict regulations have put a serious strain on the nightlife and nightclub establishments in major cities across Japan, although police often turn a blind eye to violations of the law.

All businesses that provide food and or drinks to customers and promote dancing fall under the heading "club," in the eyes of the current law and are subject to restrictions regarding their location and business hours.

A nonpartisan group of Diet members say the the restrictions placed on dancing in Japan are simply outdated and are seeking to revise the laws so that dancing should be less policed in the future.

Keiji Furuya, the chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, told a news conference on Friday: "While reflecting the opinions and wishes of those who want to reform the law, it is absolutely paramount that we seek a resolution that will not, in any way, negatively affect our unanimous goal to keep the youth of Japan safe, healthy and out of a life of crime," NTV reported.

The NPA panel is planning to host a gathering of experts and other related individuals sometime next month for a hearing to discuss the matter further. After that, a proposed amendment to the law will be submitted to the Diet sometime in the fall.

© Japan Today

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34 Comments
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"Safe, healthy and out of a life of crime", didn't realize dancing was a gateway to an unsafe, unhealthy and criminal life.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

@cricky Exactly what I was thinking. I guess since I have no rhythm I was saved from a life of crime . But I'm sure the extra exercise would have been better for my health than just sitting drinking beer (which is ok apparently, since it is legal to drink, but not drink and dance)

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Dancing, can't have any of that. But no effort has been made to stop the foreign prostitutes stalking the streets near my station. Go figure...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It is good to see the government get rid of a a stupid and outdated law. Plenty more of those, in Japan as well as in other countries.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

it is absolutely paramount that we seek a resolution that will not, in any way, negatively affect our unanimous goal to keep the youth of Japan safe, healthy and out of a life of crime,

So, there it is folks! The blind eyes of Japanese bureaucracy. So, instead of creating venues for the young to enjoy themselves they let be frustrated and manipulated by the law. "The nail that stands up must be hammered down!"

2 ( +3 / -1 )

What a dumb law.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Dancing is a gateway drug to happiness.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Kevin Bacon strikes again!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

LOL!!! I can't count the times my band rocked all those socks, and never saw crime come of it. Indeed it's a dumb, dumb, dumber law and instead of being revised should be burned.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

and who said abe and his govt aren't fun guys, maybe this is part of the 3rd arrow.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It's a stupid law anyway taking the dancing go hand-in-hand! This isn't "Footloose"!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

...and it only took 66 years.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Thank goodness.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Do the hustle!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan’s National Police Agency is finalizing plans to amend the law that places strict regulations on dancing at nightclubs and some establishments offering dance classes.

Why the heck is the national police agency worried about such a silly matter as dancing. Don't they have bigger and more important issues like organized crime, stalking, and domestic violence to name just three, to worry about? And shouldn't this be a local issue anyway?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

This 1948 law was strict. In Univ and colleges,(gender separated school eras), students could join dance clubs, So, practices were done without opposite sexes. Once in a year, joint dance club meetings where students did not know how to dance with opposite sex students, 2 steps, waltz, and tango. No other dances were created yet.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Under our illustrious leader Rudi Giuliani, our former mayor wanted to keep the New York public safe by implementing the Cabaret license that would help keep not only youth safe, but adults safe as well. Every Law abiding citizen knows hat dancing leads to the unbridled passions, and this leads to the dark side and crime. Suggestive dancing will lead to a life of prostitution and this will lead to porn. It is a proven fact that all drug addicts started their journey drinking milk; so drinking mild leads to pot smoking, and pot smoking leads to the use of hard drugs. So by restricting dancing we in turn protect the future of youth and society by keeping them on the straight and narrow.

Remember: spare the rod; spoil the child.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

In my post just above, the "1." is some sort of automatic formatting. I had actually written "1948." Gotta remember to use Preview, I guess.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Will it change nippon's demographýs future ? 3rd arrow of abe, in your heart !

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There should be a ban on drinking

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Kristianna-it is a well known fact that dancing unto the Lord is not considered a sin. It is also a known fact that judge and be judged is also a Bible truth.But most importantly where in the world does it say in the Bible "we" protect children by as a community setting a law to restrict ANYTHING?????? You're ability to remember the spare the rod spoil the child proverb fails to mention that that is talking to parents in their parenting!!!! Not all society on how to raise a commune. Parents would show their children appropriate dancing, parents would show their children how much to drink, parents would show their children that if you start down a road of drugs that we are all sinners and we can be forgiven with a u-turn. PARENTS. Not some NAZI ideal. Not some INTELLECTUAL ideal. Just family moving with the times. So Kristianna and Moondog, before you go setting up a bad example of Christians, it is well known also that other religions can be just as pig-headed about dancing-albiet the first Christians that came to Japan after the war were rather conservative, even most Christians nowadays would acknowledge that, but to say that Christians are the only ones that would be strict about dancing, (well just goes to proove that you havent even seen Footloose) is false. I would even suggest that it is purposefully misleading. Havent you even questioned whether the Bible is true? Researched anything? Not realizing that other religions are a lot more restrictive of dancing I would suggest that you arent even Christian. But this law being updated is good. Who would have even guessed that such a law existed with all the dancing, dancing classes etc going on. But perhaps that is the purpose of articles such as this; to phish comments. And to me that is almost as pathetic as some of the comments here.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Dance license? That's as stupid a law as prohibition.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This is a law that was put in place under the allied occupation of Japan.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Ok robots lets dance don't walk i stead just waltz the night away

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Just a few Days ago i spoke about this Law with a Friend, i told him that there are no Dancing Clubs left in Tokyo and she could not believe it!

Think about the coming Olympics and no Dancing allowed, Rofl!

But i need to agree, many People i know who love to Dance are at least a bit "Strange" and i love strange People!

Do Abe is dancing too? After Curfew?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Disco's were popular in the late 80s and early nineties bubble and places like the "Crazy Cock" and "Happy Cock" and "Off Broadway" were popular in Fukuoka in the 1990s. I guess that they were illegal. I wonder if they are still going, or whether the Japanese have stopped dancing.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

people overestimate the subject...and spucky thats utter bullshit,Tokyo has more than enough clubs this law only affects small clubs and they never touched proper dance music places in tokyo so not sure what all the fuss is about.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Wow, never knew that Japan was like that small town in "Footloose".

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Japan is not a small town, the law has been there to target cabarets and only applies to places that don't have large dedicated dance floor , it was used only lately and very seldom to extort police pressure ( probably ), that said with public pressure that misfired and now that law being edited to the current era.

It gets ridiculous attention abroad because of sensational media outlets like RA that strive on AD space... There is tons of good clubs in Japan and quite a few good ones in Tokyo.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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