World Aug 3, 2020
Nightclub operators say the social distancing needed to prevent infections would make it impossible to stage the wild parties they are famous for.
Music May 15, 2020
Shibuya's Club Asia stays steady and looks ahead to post-coronavirus clubbing
by Patrick St. Michel
As some of Tokyo's clubs face permanent closure as a result of COVID-19, others look to the future and ways of ensuring they survive the pandemic.
Asia Pacific / Science & Health May 12, 2020
South Korea investigators comb digital data to trace club virus cluster
South Korean authorities were combing through mobile phone data, credit card statements and CCTV footage on Tuesday to identify people who visited nightclubs at the center of one of the capital's biggest novel coronavirus clusters. More than 100 new cases linked to the nightclubs have ...
Asia Pacific / Science & Health May 8, 2020
South Korea tracks new coronavirus outbreak in Seoul nightclubs
South Korean health authorities are investigating a small but growing coronavirus outbreak centered in a handful of Seoul nightclubs, seeking to keep infections in check as the country moves to less restrictive social distancing measures. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said ...
World / Social Issues Apr 20, 2020
People are paying real money to get into virtual Zoom nightclubs
It’s only 5 p.m. on a Saturday in Los Angeles, but the Zone — a 16-room virtual club on the videoconferencing app Zoom — is already in full swing. "You’re late!” admonishes a bouncer with a glowing Celtic symbol on her forehead, peering through a ...
National Apr 11, 2020
Japan extends authority for 'strong requests' to avoid bars and nightspots to all 47 governors
The government will allow the governors of all 47 prefectures to "strongly request" that residents avoid nightclubs, hostess bars and other busy downtown spots to prevent more coronavirus clusters from developing, officials said Saturday. At present, Tokyo, Osaka and five other prefectures covered by Prime ...
Music Mar 30, 2020
Tokyo DJs and owners say closing clubs to curb virus is easier said than done
by Chris Russell
Clubs and bars are facing pressure to close their doors as the new coronavirus spreads throughout Japan's major cities. As a result, those who make a living from the clubbing industry are also facing tough financial prospects.
National Mar 19, 2020
Virus outbreak traced to Osaka music clubs appears to be over
Coronavirus infections linked to four live music venues in Osaka appear to be over as no new cases among visitors have been reported for a week, local authorities said Thursday. So far, 83 people in 16 of Japan's 47 prefectures have been infected with the ...
National May 1, 2019
Disco's not dead: Japan grooves to bubble beat for Heisei Era sayonara
by Chris Gallagher
Disco fans hit the dance floor and partied like it was 1989, reliving the glitz of the "bubble economy" heyday that defined the early years of the outgoing Heisei Era. Tuesday night was the last chance for nostalgic Japanese to bid sayonara to the three-decade ...
National / Media | DARK SIDE OF THE RISING SUN Jul 2, 2018
Giving visitors to Japan something they can dance to
by Jake Adelstein
Is this a case of deja vu on the dancefloor? In 2012, police in Osaka started raiding clubs for violating the adult entertainment business law, popularly known as fūeihō. The law forbids dancing after midnight. When pressed on the matter, police officials said they were simply ...
Music Jun 22, 2017
One year after changes to the 'anti-dancing' law, clubbers are hopeful
by Patrick St. Michel
Around two dozen people shuffle about the dark interior of Alzar, a recently opened nightclub on the eighth floor of a building in Osaka's Chuo Ward that also features a capsule hotel and sauna. Most hover near the concrete wall, watching a European DJ ...
Music May 30, 2017
82-year-old DJ puts unique spin on Tokyo's club scene
by Akiko Yasuhara
Sumiko Iwamuro knows a thing or two about juggling work. She spends her days behind the counter at a family-run specialty gyoza restaurant and one or two nights a month moonlighting under her stage name DJ Sumirock. It is an impressive feat for someone 82 ...