Ban on Late Night Dancing Lifted in Japan

Japan is widely revered as a definitive global cultural capital – offering world-class entertainment, fashion, tech and music industries in pure excess. For nightlife, however, the story is a bit different. The Fueiho law, effective since 1948, has imposingly regulated the country’s nightlife scene for generations, barring dance clubs (in particular) from staying open past midnight without a special license. The Japan Times recently reported that the 67-year-old ban has been lifted – but not without a catch. The law has been adjusted to permit dance clubs with lighting over 10 lux (which equates to about double the light perceived at twilight) to stay open for 24 hours. Under Fueiho, dance clubs were considered “adult entertainment establishments,” of course making it more difficult to get your freak on in say, Tokyo on a Friday night. The new iteration of Fueiho will take effect in 2016, which, as writer Adrienne Black points out, will present Japanese police with the freshly arbitrary task of monitoring clubs for proper lighting.