It has been nearly two years since Japan revised an archaic law banning late-night dancing, but don't expect any celebrations to mark the occasion. Over the past few months, the Metropolitan Police Department has quietly renewed its campaign against unauthorized boogying, because Lord knows there's nothing more dangerous than an out-of-control dancer.
In January, police raided Aoyama Hachi, a small club on the outskirts of the Shibuya neighborhood, for violating the adult entertainment business law, popularly known as fūeihō. The venue had been throwing late-night parties for more than 20 years without a nightclub license; it has since reopened, but events must now finish by midnight, which as any serious clubber can tell you is a couple of hours before most parties really get started.
If this all sounds familiar, that's because it has only been a few years since Japanese police waged their last crusade against nightlife, prompting a successful grass-roots campaign to get the law amended. Since June 2016, licensed nightclubs have been legally allowed to stay open until dawn, but dancing itself is still apparently an activity that needs regulating.