"Large crowds gathered at Tokyo's famed 'Scramble Crossing' to welcome in 2026 despite Shibuya Ward officials cancelling New Year's Eve celebrations for the sixth consecutive year due to safety concerns. As midnight approached on Wednesday, footage shows hundreds of revellers once again assembled at the world-famous intersection. With digital clocks on nearby buildings counting down towards zero, spectators cheered as the new year was ushered in. One of many defiant celebrants, Takahiro, believes that cancelling major events damages the country's appeal. "Japan is gradually losing its vitality, so I think we need to work harder to bring it back to life," he said. "It feels like a lot of things are gradually getting smaller and smaller in Japan. So, we need to do something to bounce back from that," the man added. This year, about 100 police and security officers were reportedly deployed to maintain a visible presence and cordon off the intersection in an effort to prevent the massive, spontaneous gatherings that had characterised past incidents of chaos, particularly during Halloween celebrations. Authorities say this year's event was suspended over concerns about crowd safety and other issues. The ward last held a New Year's countdown celebration in 2019."