Japan: Crackdowns on tourist buses’ illegal parking

Police in Tokyo are stepping up crackdowns on illegal parking of sightseeing buses in popular districts as large numbers of Chinese visit Japan’s capital during the Lunar New Year holidays. Police are focusing on 4 districts — Ginza, Akihabara, Shinjuku and Asakusa — where tourist buses are causing traffic jams. Buses are allowed to stop along a main street in the Ginza shopping district to let passengers get on and off. But some buses are being parked for long periods. Officers handed bus drivers leaflets showing nearby parking spaces and urged them to move their vehicles. Police have received an increasing number of complaints over the issue. They say they cracked down on 70 cases in the 4 areas last year. That’s more than 5 times the number in 2013. A police official said some buses are being parked in dangerous spots, such as near intersections or crosswalks. Source: NHK...