The Japanese capital has unleashed a blitz on litterbugs. Fines of up to ¥30,000 (roughly £200) are now being issued for dropping a single cigarette butt. The result?
Streets so clean you could eat your dinner off them. British city mayors are taking note. They see a playbook for tackling the grime that blights our high streets.
But here’s the rub. Whitehall is watching. Cautiously.
The Treasury hates the optics of 'nanny state' crackdowns. Yet the polling is clear. Voters are fed up.
They want action. Not just warm words. The question is: who blinks first?
Will local councils get the green light to go full Tokyo? Or will the fear of a tabloid backlash keep fines low and streets dirty? The game is on.
