Reactions on Signs
Reactions to
Security Actions
by Toshiaki
Introduction
As 🚧Sign boards & Announcements have covered that signs are used to prevent people in Kabukicho from taking a specific action, this page will cover how people react to these signs.
Unsuccessful Signs
Don’t sit signs
These labels can be found on public areas/streets, as they are not meant to be sat. Sitting in the middle of an area is bothersome. The owner of the land/property will be keeping these signs up, as there are issues associated with people sitting in the area, such as cleaning trash left behind.
This extralegal activity would be an informal activity, as it is not breaking the law.
On the field, we saw people sitting next to Toho Cinemas, where there are many “Don’t sit signs”. The signs are clearly not working, and the security guards do not seem to take action either (Reactions of Security / Police).
Don’t litter signs
These signs can be found in places where there are many of littering. Shinjuku-ku and individual owners of the land or the property will keep these signs.
This extralegal activity would be an informal activity. Currently, it is only a state regulation, as it could also be found in “新宿区空き缶等の散乱及び路上喫煙による被害の防止に関する条例” (Shinjuku-ku, 1996).
Don’t smoke signs
These labels can be found almost anywhere in Kabukicho except for smoking areas. Shinjuku-ku and individual owners of the land or the property will keep these signs.
This extralegal activity would be a not-yet-(il)legal activity, as the government is facing the direction of making smoking illegal in public spaces. Currently, it is only a state regulation, as it could be found in “新宿区空き缶等の散乱及び路上喫煙による被害の防止に関する条例” (Shinjuku-ku, 1996).
Successful Signs
Don’t park signs
These signs could be found on buildings and streets. These signs seem to do their job, and keep cars away from parking, and there are real parking spaces in Kabukicho so people should be using that place.
This extralegal activity is an illegal activity, as all drivers learned that there are places where people should not be parking. Curb parking is illegal and results in a 6,000JPY ~ 25,000JPY fine depending on the type of vehicle and the place.
Don’t enter signs
These signs can be found on the doors of buildings. These signs keep a great job of keeping people away from entering the building.
This extralegal activity will be an illegal activity, as it will be considered burglary just by entering a building without a reason. Since it is an illegal activity, police could take action and result in a maximum of 100,000JPY fine, or a maximum of imprisonment for three years.
Conclusion
Although they do not necessarily have authority or power like the police do, the security guards already have a well calculated method to protect public order as well as the norms of Kabukicho. The security guards, of course, cannot give out tickets or ask suspicious people to accompany them to the Koban. However, they take a somewhat uncomfortable way to handle each individual situation, which is useful since Japanese tend to worry about what others think. In a area like Kabukicho where people from different community gather and socialize, though it seems as if they do not care what people think, These routines might not be effective in other urban cities like New York, Osaka, or even as close as Shibuya, but since Kabukicho has some kind of rule among the workers there; as you can observe by how the catch would go back to the space after following around a target. The security’s purpose of being there is to guide and discipline these people that have stepped out of line.
Sections
Reactions to Security Actions