Tokyo's Shibuya Ward is asking people, including foreign tourists, not to come to areas around Shibuya Station to celebrate Halloween on Thursday night, out of concern that Halloween revelers coming in large numbers could cause a stampede or other disturbances.

The Shibuya Ward is making this appeal for the second Halloween in a row.

The ward government has introduced a ban on street drinking near Shibuya Station from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. throughout the year. Ward Officials are asking stores near the station not to sell alcohol on Halloween night.

Neighboring Shinjuku Ward is taking similar steps on Thursday in cooperation with Shibuya Ward.

At 5 p.m. ward officials in Shinjuku started patrolling the Kabukicho entertainment district to enforce a ban on street drinking during the Halloween period.

Ward officials also closed off a popular gathering place for young people known as "Toyoko." The place was overcrowded with Halloween revelers last year.

At around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, the area was crowded as usual, but hardly anyone was in Halloween costumes.

Officials in Shibuya and Shinjuku plan to maintain the ban on street drinking until 5 a.m. on Friday.