Tokyo considers ordinance banning littering as downtown trash worsens

TOKYO - The Tokyo metropolitan government is considering an ordinance banning littering, as trash left in downtown entertainment districts has increased with the rise in tourists following the COVID-19 pandemic, government sources said Thursday.

While Shibuya and Shinjuku wards already have such ordinances in place, rules at the metropolitan level would prevent disparities in regulations and enable a coordinated response across a wider area.