James Hadfield reports on a bizarre law in Japan, known as fueiho, which requires any establishment that may inspire dancing to obtain a permit, provide 66 square meters of unobstructed floor space, and close by midnight or 1 am:
Ask anyone from Osaka, and they can tell you what's happened to the club scene there: it's dead. Since 2010, the police have been taking the fueiho law at face value, busting all-night parties and shutting down clubs that are permitting dancing without a proper license. What's more, the trend seems to be spreading. …
This sense of helplessness, a keep-your-head-down-and-everything-will-be-okay mentality, pervades the club scene here. Venues routinely post 'No dancing' signs, with some even sending staff onto the floor to ask customers to stop moving to the music (I wish I was making this up). Nightclubs advertise themselves with vague descriptions like 'entertainment space', and expressly forbid any use of the word 'dance' in advertising copy. In the case of one world-famous party spot in Shibuya, you won't even find the term 'DJ' used anywhere on their website. Life's tough when you're living in a grey zone.
(Hat tip: The Morning News)
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