Well, that was one way to get attention – though probably not the best way. Tokyo police say they’ve apprehended two men – or, more precisely, a man and a boy – who motorbiked through Shibuya Scramble while setting off a fire extinguisher.
The incident occurred on Christmas Eve around 4am. Two males, each on their own bike, took repeated loops through the famous tourist spot despite the presence of pedestrians.
Two police officers near Shibuya Station strolled up and yelled at the men to stop, but they kept going. Then, on two separate loops, one of the men sprayed some sort of white smoke behind him – all through a green traffic light. The smoke, which appears to come from a fire extinguisher, obscured driver’s field of vision as they tried to pass.
The men later repeated the same stunt in Kawasaki, about an hour outside of Tokyo.
On December 30th, Tokyo police announced they’d apprehended the suspects: 29-year-old unemployed Kawasaki resident Watanabe Taichi and an unnamed 15-year-old minor.
Watanabe confessed to being the perp. It’s not clear who the 15-year-old is or his relationship to his older companion.
Watanabe will likely face some form of public disturbance charge. As it stands, both men are under arrest for operating motorbikes without a license.
Why this page doesn't look like crap
You may notice a few things about this page. First, it’s mostly content – not ads. Second, this article was written by a human, not a plagiaristic Turing machine.
Unseen Japan is a collective of independent authors. We work hard to keep our content free of intrusive ads and AI slop.
Help us keep it that way. Donate to the Unseen Japan Journalism Fund to support our work. Regular donors will receive Insider, our paid newsletter with weekly bonus content about Japan. Plus, your contribution will help us produce more content like this.
What to read next
Shinjuku’s Moulin Rouge: The Theater That Danced Through War and Censorship
Japanese imperial authorities frequently raided it and censored its scripts. Despite this, the women at the Shinjuku Moulin Rouge danced on.
Saitama Lawmaker States Foreigners in Japan Have “No Fundamental Human Rights”
The lawmaker later backtracked on the statement, saying that he only meant they didn’t have “the same rights” as Japanese citizens.
Why This Kyushu Udon Chain Is Drawing Tokyo Crowds
Sukesan Udon, Kitakyushu’s iconic soul food, has landed in Kanto, sparking long lines and a social media buzz. What makes it so special?
