READ MORE: The world's cleanest cruise lines revealed - with regular trips departing from the UK See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy ERIN DEBORAH WAKS, TRAVEL WRITER Published: 16:23 BST, 15 June 2026 | Updated: 16:32 BST, 15 June 2026
Japanese football fans have been hailed time and time again for their cleanliness.Indeed, over the weekend, thousands arrived in Dallas armed with bin bags for the country's World Cup opener.Pictures showed dozens of supporters cleaning up coffee cups, sweet packages and crisp wrappers after watching their team draw 2-2 on Sunday.However, it's not just the Japanese fans abroad that have cleanliness as a top priority.Neon-lit Shibuya, in the heart of Tokyo - and home to the busiest intersection in the world - has just introduced on-the-spot fines of 2,000 Japanese yen (£9) for anyone found littering.The rule, which has been in place since June 1st, aims to combat a surge in littering and address the issue resulting from overtourism.On the first day in effect, 10 people were caught littering - following by 15 on day two and nine on day three. Littering has become a bigger problem in the popular tourist district of Shibuya Police are cracking down on littering in Tokyo, imposing fines on offendersIt comes after Japan welcomed a record-beating 42.6 million international tourists last year. The main problem is foreign visitors openly drinking and littering, according to the BBC.A campaign has been launched to combat the rise in litter - with the main slogan: 'If you throw trash, you lose cash.' Up to 60 patrollers - including a number with multilingual capabilities - divide and conquer, surveilling various parts of the area.'We cannot tolerate littering simply because there are no rubbish bins,' the Shibuya Ward authorities said.'We ask for your cooperation in creating a city where everyone can enjoy themselves comfortably.' In Shibuya, if you are caught littering you will be made to pay the fine via cash, credit card or QR codes.Due to fears surrounding their potential use by terrorists, Japan does not have many public rubbish bins. It comes after Japan supporters have developed a reputation for being the classiest fans in football after cleaning up after themselves following their country's first match in Texas Scores of supporters lined the streets of Dallas with bin bags swinging in the air yesterdayHowever, under new rules, the government hopes to increase their number, according to The New York Times.Hironori Nakao, a Shibuya official involved in the new plan, told the publication: 'Shibuya is a city with a constant influx of new people, so no matter how much we publicise the rules, it is incredibly difficult to reach everyone.'In a place like Singapore, travellers already know beforehand that they will be fined for littering or spitting, so they simply don't do it. 'That is the level of awareness we want to achieve here.'
