06/09/30 11:45:06
Hi Everyone,
How are you all doing? I hope that the month of September has treated
you well and that October will be even better!
On a more serious note, I am writing to relay an important message on behalf
of West Japan Railway Company (JR West) and Osaka’s Central Police Department.
If you may or may not have already heard, each year large numbers of
young foreigners living in the Osaka-Hyogo-Kyoto Area have donned costumes
and gathered on the last Saturday of October to hold what has come to be
known as the “Halloween Loop Line Party”. (The party is held on JR Loop Line Cars, hence the name)
This gathering has come to create numerous problems such as train delays,
destruction of JR property, the annoyance of fellow passengers and the threat
of injury (running around in/on a train car or the platform while intoxicated
is extremely dangerous!).
Due to countless complaints, issues and the overall disturbance it has caused,
JR has officially banned the Loop Line Party as of this year. Police forces will be
dispatched to stations along the Loop Line to enforce this rule. Both JR and the
Central Police Department request your cooperation and ask that you
DO NOT PARTICIPATE in this event.
In order to avoid finding yourself in an extremely undesirable situation
(i.e. getting hurt, arrested, etc.), we at the Osaka Prefectural Government Office
also request that you forgo participation in the Halloween Loop Line Party. Remember,
you are a representative for your country and the JET Programme while
in Japan; please act appropriately and responsibly.
Thank you for your time.
Jessica Hogue
Osaka-Fu CIR/Prefectural Advisor (2006-2007)