Costumed revelers make their way across the iconic scramble crossing in Tokyo's Shibuya ward, Oct. 31, 2021. (Stars and Stripes)

Itaewon, the nightlife district in South Korea’s capital where 159 people died in a crowd crush on Oct. 29, 2022, will be open for business this Halloween.

In Japan, the pulsing center of nighttime Tokyo — Shibuya and its world-famous scramble intersection — will not.

“I ask those planning to visit Shibuya on Oct. 31 or days prior for Halloween to rethink their plans,” Shibuya Mayor Ken Hasebo said during a Sept. 12 news conference.

Halloween 2022 attracted tens of thousands to urban entertainment zones that were off-limits for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the Itaewon deaths prompted a second look at crowd management and security preparations at destinations like Shibuya that draw huge numbers of costumed revelers, many consuming large amounts of alcohol.

Shibuya became a popular place to spend Halloween night in the early 2000s. Already known for the 1,000 to 3,000 people who cross its iconic scramble intersection every time the signals change, the area is home to numerous bars, nightclubs and restaurants in the narrow, densely developed streets just outside the railway station.

Revelers make their way across the iconic scramble crossing in Tokyo's Shibuya ward, Oct. 31, 2021. (Stars and Stripes)

Japanese police keep crowds moving near the popular scramble crossing in Tokyo's Shibuya ward, Oct. 31, 2021. (Stars and Stripes)

“There were moments where there were near misses for accidents,” Hasebe said of Halloween 2022 festivities. “I have a strong sense of danger that safety cannot be ensured and accidents like a crowd crush could happen since the situation is very different compared to last year.”

This year, Shibuya will take further measures to ensure safety, Hasebe said. The ward plans to place about 100 security guards in the crossing area on two separate nights, Oct. 28 and Oct. 31, Hasebe said.

No drinking will be allowed on the streets near Shibuya Station from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. between Oct. 27 and Nov. 1. The ward will ask 35 stores in the area to refrain from selling alcohol during the Halloween season.

At Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo, an hour by train from Shibuya Station, service members may spend Halloween safely where they choose, a spokeswoman for the 374th Airlift Wing said by email Sept. 18.

“We advise everyone avoiding potentially hazardous situations by planning ahead, playing safely, and to look out for each another,” wrote Capt. Emma Quirk.

The U.S. Army encourages its community to take advantage of opportunities in Japan but is asking everyone to celebrate Halloween safely and with respect for local officials, customs and laws, U.S. Army Garrison Japan spokesman Timothy Flack said in an email Sept. 22.

The garrison’s headquarters, Camp Zama, is also about an hour by train from Shibuya.

In South Korea, Halloween festivities in the Itaewon and Hongdae areas of Seoul and elsewhere will have enhanced safety precautions in place, the South Korean Ministry of Interior and Safety said in a news release Oct. 4.

South Korean police guard the entrance to an alleyway where some of the 159 victims were killed after a crowd of people were crushed during Halloween festivities in Itaewon, South Korea, Oct. 29, 2022 . (David Choi/Stars and Stripes)

A ceremony is held for 159 people killed in a crowd surge during Halloween festivities in Itaewon, South Korea, Oct. 31, 2022. (David Choi/Stars and Stripes)

Itaewon in the Yongsan district and Hongdae in the Mapo district plan for crowds Oct. 27-28.

“The government and relevant organizations including local governments will do their best for the people to enjoy festivals safely through safety management in preparation for accidents that can be caused due to dense crowds and so on,” Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min said in the release.

Army Capt. Geraldo Rodriguez, a deputy supply officer for the 1st Signal Brigade, Eighth Army, has been researching Halloween events he can attend that won’t put him into a crowded situation.

“It’s one of those things that I recommend to every single one of my soldiers,” he said Oct. 4 at the Camp Humphreys commissary. “When you go out, it’s not about how much fun you want to have — it’s about how safe you will be where you’re going to have fun.”