Japan cancel midnight dancing ban

Dancing after midnight in Tokyo will no longer be illegal as long as it's not too dark, after Japan's parliament Wednesday voted to relax laws that banned boogying in one of the world's clubbing capitals.

Under current rules dance clubs across the country are supposed to stop people from shaking their stuff once the clock ticks over to 12am. The law, which dates from 1948, during the US occupation, was put in place amid concerns that the relatively liberal social attitudes of the Americans were corrupting Japan's youth.

It was also an attempt to curb prostitution, which was rife in the poverty of post-World War II Japan. The ban on midnight dancing drew fierce criticism from dance and music industry figures said the government should promote Japan's growing, vibrant dance culture.

Under the new law, which is expected to take effect by June next year, dancing after midnight will be allowed if the club has a light level of at least 10 lux. The police will be tasked with monitoring light levels in clubs, Jiji Press reported, and will be able to take action against those that do come up to scratch.The new law also makes provision for clubs that do not serve alcohol after midnight to stay open for 24 hours.