Japan finally lifts its 67-year-old ban on dancing

What has become known as “Japan’s War on Dance,” is finally coming to an end.

It’s been a long battle, but Japan has finally lifted its decades-long ban on dancing. It was first put into place after the Second World War in an attempt to crack down on dancehalls that were often a breeding ground for prostitution.

The ban forbade public dancing without a permit – even licensed premises had to stop all dancing when the clock hit midnight, the Independent reports.

Since the end of the war, Japan has developed into a highly bustling and thriving nation, making the Footloose-esque law seem a little out of place.

But despite the law, dancing – even into the next day – was mostly tolerated through the latter half of the 20^th century, with police turning a blind eye.

Things became a little less lenient into the 21^st century, however, when a string of celebrity drug scandals and nightclub brawls lead to a crackdown. At that time, club raids once again became a common occurrence.

But Japan’s club-goers and night owls refuse to be stripped from their passion. A campaign calling for the abolition of the law, led by Japanese musician, Ryuichi Sakamoto, gained 150,000 signatures.

To their surprise, as of last week the new law was finally ratified. The law will begin to take effect next year, and until then, late-night dancing remains illegal.

The new law did not come without any conditions, however, as it states that “club seating areas can’t be too dark,” in an attempt to discourage crime, reports CNN.

“It’s crazy. Don’t make any sense. It’s a dance club,” musician and dancer David Escoe told the news outlet. “But I still get down.”

The lifting of the ban was also partly due to the upcoming 2020 Olympics, with many believing that Tokyo cannot just remain a city that goes dark after midnight.

But whatever the reason, dance on, Japan!