Youth arrested for spraying graffiti in Shibuya amid surge in incidents
TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested an 18-year-old boy for spray-painting graffiti on the shutter of a building in Shibuya Ward. With the case being one of many to emerge in the area in recent years, the ward is taking steps to combat such vandalism, reports Nippon News Network (July 28).
At around 4:00 a.m. on May 31, the boy, who lives in Higashiyamato City, allegedly spray-painted graffiti on the shutter of a first-floor store in the Sendagaya area.
After receiving a report from the building owner lodged the following month, police investigated, and security camera footage and other sources revealed that the involvement of the suspect.
During questioning, the suspect admitted to the charges. “I was a member of an art club in middle school and enjoyed drawing,” the youth said. “I became interested in street art and started drawing a few months ago.”
Psychologically discouraging people
Shibuya Ward has been implementing a graffiti prevention program for the past four years in response to repeated incidents of vandalism.
According to the ward, information about graffiti is accepted via social media. As well, the ward covers the costs of having professional contractors remove the graffiti. Between 2020 and 2024, the ward removed paint from walls and other structures in 1,445 instances, covering a total area of 15,000 square meters.
This fiscal year, the ward is allocating approximately 200 million yen to graffiti removal costs. They are also subsidizing the installation of security cameras.
The ward is also working on an initiative to paint pictures on the walls of public facilities in advance, with the aim of psychologically discouraging people from covering them with graffiti.
What’s more, the ward has taken measures in 24 locations to apply special sheets or coatings to walls such that painting is more difficult. As well, ward staff can easily erase any graffiti with a rag without having to hire a professional.
Takuya Yoshizawa, head of Shibuya Ward’s Environmental Improvement Division, said, “Graffiti makes the atmosphere of the city dark and can contribute to a deterioration in public safety. Some people glorify graffiti by calling it ‘art,’ but it’s unbearable for those whose property gets painted. Shibuya Ward will never tolerate graffiti.”
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