Live Streaming of Public Places by Foreign Tourists Causing Anxiety in Japan
Non-consensual, surreptitious vlogging by foreign visitors is pushing the boundaries of what's normally acceptable behavior across the country.
What’s new: At the same time that Japan is welcoming record numbers of foreign visitors who are helping to boost the local economy amid a significant devaluation of the Japanese yen, popular locations are struggling with the effects of over-tourism. Recently, a new trend of surreptitious video and live streaming in public places has emerged as a new source of anxiety.
Why it matters: Especially for a country with a history of problems related to non-consensual photography (see "New Definitions of Crime and Punishment for Non-Consensual Photography in Japan," published in Real Gaijin last summer), the new trend of unauthorized vlogging and live streaming in public places has many Japanese worried about the invasion of privacy, the potential for abuse, loss of trust, and emotional distress.
People tend to have a reasonable expectation of privacy - even in public. Secretly recording someone takes away their control over their own image and can make them feel unsafe and vulnerable. Even if the person recording has no malicious intent, the fact that the video exists creates a sense of unease for the person being filmed. It often crosses the line of decency.
By the numbers: This issue comes on the heels of a record number of international visitors.
Inbound tourism boom: According to the Japan National Tourist Organization, the number of foreign visitors to Japan totaled 3,081,600 in March 2024, surpassing the 3 million mark for the first time and setting a new record for a single month.
Record number of arrests for non-consensual photography: Police arrested a total of 5,737 people for voyeurism in 2022, an increase of 718 from the previous year and a new record high1. Of these, 4,534, or nearly 80%, were for voyeuristic photography using smartphones. It is unclear how many, if any, of the suspects were foreigners.
What they’re saying: The phenomenon of foreigners taking pictures and videos of crowds on trains and in other public places has become commonplace in Tokyo.
"There was a foreigner taking pictures of the inside of the train with a hand-held camera. I guess it was unusual for him to be on a Japanese train because he was taking pictures from one end of the train to the other. I was surprised that he was filming so openly, but I guess it is a Japanese thing that no one pays attention to him.” - Ms. A, a woman in her 30s
Although Ms. A's fellow commuters may have appeared outwardly disinterested in this behavior, it is very likely that it was causing a great deal of anxiety beneath the surface.
This problem is not limited to still images or short video snippets. Live streaming from inside the Yamanote train line, for example, is now a thing.
"Recently, I saw a group of foreigners hanging from the handholds of the train car and live streaming their excitement while riding on a crowded train during rush hour. I don't know if they're excited because they're overseas, or if they're doing it because no one's paying attention, or if it's normal in their country. In any case, this is Japan, and I would like them to stop live streaming from inside the train.” - Ms. A
Video recording and live streaming by foreigners is also causing problems in restaurants across the country.
"I have seen foreign tourists filming and live streaming inside restaurants. My impression is that many of them are in places where you can feel the ‘real Japan,’ such as ramen shops, conveyor belt sushi restaurants, and izakaya (Japanese-style pubs). Restaurants I often go to now have a "no live streaming" policy. Maybe there was some kind of trouble.” - Mr. B, a man in his 40s
The same gentleman offered the following polite advice after recalling a time when a group of foreigners started vlogging about both the sushi and other customers at a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant.
"I think it's okay to have fun, but to be honest, their voices were so loud that I quickly left the restaurant, even though I was also there with a group. I understand that people get excited when sightseeing in Japan, but I would like to tell them to please don't disturb their fellow diners. - Mr. B
For many years, Shibuya's world-famous Scramble Crossing has been ground zero for vlogging by foreign tourists.
"It is getting harder and harder to cross. More and more tourists are walking through the Scramble Crossing while taking videos, and the flow of people is slowing down, making it impossible to cross smoothly. They suddenly stop, pose, and start a photo session. The other day, a woman in a wedding dress was taking pictures. She was a real traffic hazard. I wanted to yell, 'Don't stop at intersections.’” - Ms. C., a woman in her 20s who works for an IT company in Shibuya
Commentary: Karma can be a patient teacher, but its lessons are never forgotten.
What goes around comes around: While I sympathize with people who are unknowingly photographed in public, it is somewhat ironic to consider how this has become a problem for a nation once famous for its legions of amateur photographers. One of the most common stereotypes of the archetypal Japanese tourist would almost always conjure up an image of someone constantly taking pictures of everything and everyone. Of course, this is no excuse for such behavior. It is not that the Japanese "had it coming," but it simply puts the recent trend in some historical perspective.
Precedent of foreign YouTubers pushing the boundaries of what is considered appropriate: There have been several high-profile cases of foreign YouTubers filming pranks or challenges that involve disrespecting public spaces or laws. Examples include riding the bullet train without a ticket, trespassing on private property, or disturbing the peace in quiet areas. This behavior has sparked outrage among Japanese citizens and the government, with calls for stricter regulations on filming in public places. Last year Johnny Somali, an American live streamer with almost 16,000 subscribers on YouTube whose real name is Ismael Ramsey Khalid, gained notoriety in Japan for a series of disruptive and disrespectful actions. He was arrested for trespassing at a hotel construction site in Osaka, shouting at workers, and filming the encounter. While those charges were eventually dropped, Johnny was also filmed playing loud music at a restaurant in Osaka, causing a nuisance for staff and other customers. He was fined 200,000 yen (US $1,270) for this offense. Now, it is not just a few well-known vloggers who are stirring the pot. The problem has spread as many visitors want their videos to go viral and are willing to push the boundaries of what is considered decent in order to get more views.
You can't have your cake and eat it too: Especially with the recent devaluation of the yen, the country needs to keep foreign visitors coming to Japan and spending their money. So the Japanese may just have to put up with the visitors and their desire to record their experience while visiting Japan.
What’s next: Japanese hosts are famous for their tolerance of questionable behavior by foreign visitors, but everyone has a limit, and there is the potential for a backlash.
Just as the street go-karts from STREET KART Tokyo Bay2 you might see zipping through the back streets and alleys of Shibuya, driven by foreign tourists in full-body cosplay suits (often inspired by, but not directly related to, Nintendo's Mario Kart), are a source of angst for many Tokyo residents, and only marginally tolerated, there seems to be a growing resentment against this kind of behavior and other side effects of over-tourism.
We can already see how some municipalities, such as Kyoto, have introduced special tourist taxes to combat the effects of attracting too many tourists. Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Kanazawa all now have accommodation taxes. The famous hot-spring resorts of Beppu and Hakone now charge visitors a bathing tax, and starting this summer, climbers passing through Yamanashi Prefecture's 5th Station will have to pay a 2,000 yen ($12.63) toll to climb Mt. Fuji. Only 4,000 climbers will, moreover, be allowed through each day during the climbing season. So the potential for a fine for over-enthusiastic vloggers is quite possible.
What do you think? Curbing non-consensual, surreptitious filming will likely require a multi-pronged approach, addressing it from legal, technological, and social awareness perspectives. All answers are completely anonymous, even to the author.
Links to Japanese Sources: https://www.moneypost.jp/1137288 and https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/483401.
#livestreaming #livestreamingprohibited #overtourism #videorecording #etiquette #foreigntraveler #foreignvisitor #manners #nonconsensualphotography #nosneakphotography #voyeurism #tourist #vlogging #動画撮影 #ライブ配信 #オーバーツーリズム #ライブ配信禁止 #エチケット #礼儀 #海外観光客 #撮影罪 #無断撮影禁止 #盗撮 #観光客 #ブロギング
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Maricar Co., Ltd. (now Mari Mobility Development) was eventually sued by Nintendo and lost in court for violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Law by using the company name "MariCar," which is an abbreviation of Mario Kart, and by renting costumes and other items for advertising and sales without Nintendo's permission. The trial court upheld most of Nintendo's claims, and when the Supreme Court rejected the appeal, the case was decided in Nintendo's favor. As a result, the trademark registration of "MariCar" was also invalidated.
I don't understand why the Japanese are so up-tight about having their image captured in public by foreign tourists or anyone else. Why would anyone expect to have control of their image in public? As you say, Japanese tourists are famous overseas for snapping anything that moves or doesn't move. I can sort of understand an objection to covert filming/photography; but, in a public place, even doing that seems ok to me, as long as the images sought are not indecent. What is definitely not ok in any circumstances is inconsiderate or disorderly behavior of any kind, whether it's being filmed or not. That's just basic good manners.
Surely this phrase "over-tourism" has been mis-translated? Surely the correct translation should be "failing to adapt to an opportunity," or maybe "pennies from heaven" or "looking a gift horse in the mouth"? Japan is not an easy place to visit as a foreign tourist. Many even major tourist attractions have zero tourist information in a language other than Japanese, which few people outside Japan speak; and, given just how close the Japanese yen - and therefore the entire economy - is to total collapse, maybe a little more tolerance is warranted?
Thanks for another thought-provoking story. I guess there is no straightforward answer to this dilemma. I must admit my first reaction was like 1% Mind's, but of course, the point is that very few people are aware of being spied by the authorities while having someone pointing a smartphone in your direction can be rather annoying.
It's also a matter of where those things happen. I feel that Shibuya Crossing or other such public place are fair game. After all, even TV crews, both Japanese and from abroad, regularly work in those spots. A train or subway car, or a restaurant, are close environments and people should be more respectful of those around them.
As for introducing tourist taxes, more than an attempt to curb over-tourism, I see it as yet another way to get more money from travelers.