Tokyo police will deploy about 800 officers in the Shibuya area Sunday to control crowds and reduce jams, noise and possible vandalism as Japan faces Cote d'Ivoire in the opening round of soccer's World Cup.
"We expect considerable congestion with soccer fans, shoppers and tourists," a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police Department said Wednesday. "We will take necessary security measures to ensure a smooth traffic flow, control the congestion and prevent trouble."
Officers will be deployed around the main scramble intersection outside Shibuya Station, as well as in the Hachiko statue square and several adjacent streets where bars and cafes are likely to have the match playing on TVs. There will also be several public viewing spots in the area.
The police presence will last from 10 a.m., when the match kicks off, until 2 p.m., the spokesman said.
On an average day, 2.26 million passengers pass through Shibuya Station.
"It depends on the degree of congestion, but officers will direct the crowd of soccer fans not to flock to one area," the spokesman said.
The police have no plans yet to cordon off areas or enforce traffic controls, he said.
The crossing in front of Shibuya Station attracts soccer fans every time Japan plays an international match, leading to rowdy, good-natured revelry.
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