Here’s why Japan is cracking down on tourists

In particular, Hakuba, located in Nagano Prefecture, has become a global magnet for winter sports enthusiasts. The number of overnight stays by foreign visitors has more than doubled in less than a decade, rising from 100,000 in 2015 to 250,000 in 2023.

The Japanese ski resort of Hakuba is tightening its rules on visitor behaviour after years of growing frustration over disruptive incidents linked to booming inbound tourism. Local officials have announced plans to introduce fines of up to 50,000 yen ($340) for nuisances such as late-night fireworks, littering, noisy street gatherings, and even vehicles without proper snow tyres.

The new penalties are set to be introduced through a revised ordinance by December, just in time for the peak winter ski season. But with that growth has come a rise in problems, graffiti and sticker vandalism, loud late-night parties spilling onto the streets, littering, and fireworks disturbing residents. Officials say that while earlier rules, banning street drinking, smoking, and skiing on public roads, helped, they no longer go far enough.

“Our goal is not to punish visitors harshly but to set clear boundaries and protect the community’s quality of life,” one village representative explained.

The revised ordinance will empower authorities to impose fines on anyone, whether local or foreign, who violates community rules. While the aim is to warn and discourage disruptive behaviour rather than immediately penalise, repeat offenders or serious cases could face the maximum fine.

Tourists are being urged to show respect by avoiding late-night fireworks or noisy outdoor parties; disposing of trash properly; using snow tyres during winter driving; and refraining from vandalism, including graffiti or stickers on public property.