Japan overturns midnight dancing ban

10 lux better than dance floors littered with tables and chairs. Bad things happen in dark clubs..... apparently.

A nice little job for the police, going around with light meters making sure it is not too dark. Wonder if they drafted the law.

It's about time, it's ridiculous to close a club at midnight

Now dont you have too much fun peoples. Dance music, a few drinks, strobes and lasers and low light and attractive people and strange things can happen. Careful now.

noone was bothered by the bad before, noone will be bothered by the light rules eigher, i suspect.

Agree with Moonraker. Another arbitrary law that will be selectively enforced whenever the police have one of their obnoxious "campaigns".

Now all that's left is to learn how to dance.

It was also an attempt to curb prostitution, which was rife in the poverty of post-World War II Japan.

Let's not forget who made prostitution illegal in Japan in the first place. Prior to the occupation and the USA forcing it's Judeo-Christian values regarding sex upon Japan, the Japanese people had a very pragmatic view regarding sex.

The law, which dates from 1948, during the U.S. occupation, was put in place amid concerns that the relatively liberal social attitudes of the Americans were corrupting Japan’s youth.

Maybe there wouldnt be the problems with Japanese not getting married and not having sex today if the law were never enacted. And don't think for one minute that the US didnt back the law either, as no laws were put into effect during the occupation without the stamp of approval of MacArthur or his staff.

Is this an attempt to improve the fertility rate?

raids by police who said they wanted to prevent an “excessively hedonistic atmosphere"

Wow! This made me laugh so hard I nearly choked on my cornflakes!

people have been joking about this law for years here.

This is more disturbing to me:

the government made hip-hop dancing a regular subject for junior high school students in 2012.

@Moon1 LOL I didn't even know there was such a class.

I read about the once-thriving Osaka dance scene. Back in the days apparently they even had packed multi-storied dance clubs there. In Tokyo until the 90's there was the popular Juliana's and others. With this law coming into effect I wonder if some of these old clubs will be revived.

Whilst the police have retained their hold over the club owners with the light rule, I am pleased by the fact that small clubs can thrive without the small dance floor rule, as there are lots of really good very small underground clubs that were under threat.

In 1948, Japan created 3 social laws. Ones down now. There are two more left.

Gen Mac asked Japanese Govt to make it was illegal to sell Northern poor crop area farmers to sell their young daughters to Southern Japanese prostitute houses and Geisha houses (Yukaku and Okiya). Buyers promised the girls will enter elementary school.

Sooner or later, Japan has to repeal the two old social laws. As one was gone, cops will busy to enforce other two laws. There were more laws related to chaos after Japan was defeated.

It was also an attempt to curb prostitution, which was rife in the poverty of post-World War II Japan.

Still is, in the Japan of 2015.

Under the new law, which is expected to take effect by June next year,

June next year. Jeez a whole year for a law to go into effect, but other laws like changing the constitution pass in a heartbeat.

Also, there's no telling what might happen within a year, they might doubt their decision and cancel it again.

This story would make a lovely Japanese version of Footloose.

I must admit- I never thought this would happen

this is funny. human rights have gone even worst now in japan. what kind of country doesnt allow raves with sucha awesome flashback of great times

When I am at the club at night I always try to have as much fun as possible like dance with some cute Japanese women, kissing, and "other" things before midnight. Now that the law has changed a bit, it makes my nightlife even more interesting. Good start.

Law catches up to life. i have "danced" till dawn in Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe and elsewhere.......

Ahh, those clubbing years. Dancing, drinking all night (tik-toc) till dawn & all those sticky fumblings with random gals in those poorly lit basement bars.

I know clubs that have been shut down over this stupid "no dancing after midnight" law. At least now if the cops have to proven the light level was too low, you can stall them at the door while you crank the lights up.

That said, still plenty of places to party all night, in every city I've been to in Japan.

Great!

Time to grow my hair long again, carefully comb it over the top, dust off my white suit and buy some new snakeskin shoes.

I can still show these young guys a move or two at the disco...

The old law was ignored by some police forces but quite strictly enforced by others, possibly at the whim of the local police chief. From what friends say, it strangled the club scene in Osaka in the past few years. The underground house/techno scene, that is. I don't think Tokyo itself was that affected by it.

This light level rule sounds like your typical "repetitive beats" type civil servant drafted nonsense, but I hope it won't give over eager cops enough excuse to carry on as before.

@AlexCookJUN. 18, 2015 - 10:12AM JST When I am at the club at night I always try to have as much fun as possible like dance with some cute Japanese women, kissing, and "other" things before midnight. Now that the law has changed a bit, it makes my nightlife even more interesting. Good start.

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Alex" Now one of three is gone, yiu hacops now are ve to watch out your behavior in Japan. Other two laws prohibited in Ja[an are. Kissing in publid and hugging in public. Cops will concentrate on these 1948 laws from now on. Don't be the first target. If you really kissing in Japan. Don't girls say your saliva is like kimuchi juice if you really are kissing.

2 new clubs opening in Tokyo on the positive note.. bloody proper soundsystems finally too

People are going to be dancing anyway. People danced for many reasons. Just look at the Bible. Now, Japanese lack of dancing skills is another issue, even though most of them can't dance well anyway, especially the older generation.

In 1948, there were only Waltz, Tango and Fox Trot. When Mambo and Cha Cha Cha came to Japan, there were discussion about this law in dance studio and art specialist world but talks disappeared. Now younger generations have TV and computer instead of dancing for entertainment.

Great thing happening in Japan after long time. Being in Tokyo means no need to wait for first train on the street. Wow simply superb !!!

How did Officer Dibble trace the course or derivation to a light level of at least 10 lux?. ....

Police officers must have been undercover clubbing. That night fever, strutting, you can tell by the way I use my walk, was in fact Assistant Police Inspector on loan from the traffic division attached to a digital lux meter, well I neve.......

looooooo-king Gooooooood Sergeant...

Clubs and partying is a dangerous, dangerous thing. A man and a woman might do things to each other in there, sexual things. I guess they are afraid of that fact. Maybe they forgot to open their eyes a bit wider and take a look at the soaplands and pink salons scattered around Tokyo in every major city.

10 years too late for me! oh well, at least my kids will be able to enjoy dancing without being persecuted.

and btw, i think that should be repeal and not overturn.

Maybe there wouldnt be the problems with Japanese not getting married and not having sex today if the law were never enacted. And don't think for one minute that the US didnt back the law either, as no laws were put into effect during the occupation without the stamp of approval of MacArthur or his staff.

The US backed the law because they didn't want to appear "too friendly" with the Japanese to the still-simmering public back home

There is one thing however. My parents say that they were able to dance through the night at discos in Kabukicho in the early 80s. But in 83 or 84, two junior high girls playing at a Kabukicho disco were kidnapped and murdered, and that led to current ban on past 12PM dancing. It was a way to pressure discos to find who had done this. It was common to let underage kids into the disco at the time, which was a problem.

It was also an attempt to curb comfort women, which was rife in the poverty of post-World War II Japan.

Everywhere in the world war brings on prostitution. Cannot be helped as people need to survive and men pay.

Stopping dancing did not end that, it just backed up the hours a bit.

Good to see this silly law changed.

Hit by a wave of raids by police who said they wanted to prevent an “excessively hedonistic atmosphere”

What are they afraid of? That somebody might get pregnant? You'd think with Japan's demographic crisis that would be a good thing.

But after decades of turning a blind eye to the clubs, a police crackdown began following the 2010 death of a 22-year-old student after a fight in an Osaka club.

Codswallop. The ban was widely enforced before 2010 in Osaka, Fukuoka, Yokohama and Tokyo.

I'm confused. Is this part of Abe's Third Arrow?

I remember the yakuzas used to extort payments from club owners to stop dance raids being carried out. Now the yakuzas have one less reason to threaten them.

Hmm....i'm not sure this ban uplift will help Japan to gain back the growth rate, but it sure to lift up some of the stress among the Japanese.

When I am at the club at night I always try to have as much fun as possible like dance with some cute Japanese women, kissing, and "other" things before midnight. Now that the law has changed a bit, it makes my nightlife even more interesting. Good start.

Copy and pasted from the "Will Boyfriend" article:

Don't forget your raincoat

What is this, Footloose?

1948? Gen MaC ordered Japanese Govt to make public Univ accept female students. In our prefecture, U accepted one girl in Economic Dept. So, Univ and Girls College created dance clubs. Had to practice with same gender students. Once in a month dance party with both schools so that boys will be efficient salary men or corporation heads.

Once in a month dance party with both schools so that boys will be efficient salary men or corporation heads.

I kinda' see where you're going with this. . . . But what time did the dances end?

Women have been going to university in Japan since the early Meiji period.

Is that 10 lux average or 10 lux constant?

If I was a club owner, I'd be calling my lawyer and electrician. What does 10 lux of UV light look like?

@Wc626: I am 82 years old now. I applied for U and when I was about to be accepted by Univ, at interview, prest said "You walk like a girl. and so I said my tall classmate who played basketball to behave like a boy and she was accepted. ''I It was my plan of dance in a month dance party. Dances began in the afternoon on one Saturday and just 4 o'clock it ended as some students were commuting on chuchu trains. At that time, low income people's children did not go more than middle school. I was not interested in women's univ in Tokyo and I did not like to study and the wife of lods donated girls college when my elder sister was going to college. Univ property was donated by her. I had to learn dance because my parents decided me to study in USA later.