The Western world is much more accepting of tattoos these days, due to their massive popularity among the younger crowd. These days, having a tattoo isn't a sign that you're a hoodlum or troublemaker, but a permanent badge of individuality. However, tattoos have never gotten past their controversial status in Japan. Not only are tattoos considered a sign of delinquency, but there is a heavy stigma from the common presence of tattoos in Yakuza culture. These large, intricate tattoos represent power and inclusion in the criminal organization.

However, times are changing, and tattoos are receiving a surge of popularity among young people in Japan. Because of this, or perhaps despite this, the Kobe Municipal Government is considering a ban prohibiting anyone with a tattoo from entering a beach in Suma Ward, according to The Japan Times. The discussion was spurred following the arrest of college students for alleged marijuana possession while at the beach for a music event. So apparently, smoking pot = getting tattoos.

It's important to consider that such a ban is not unusual in Japan. Various businesses and hotels have tattoo bans in place, and Japan's government is much stricter on illegal drug use than the US government is in practice, so attacking related cultural identifiers would make sense. Apparently the beach recorded its lowest number of visitors in 25 years this summer, with only about 620,000 people over 46 days. Some told the municipal office that they hesitated to go because of tattooed individuals hanging out at the beach.

Really though, it just sounds like the same clash of old culture vs. new culture. Just like rock and roll before it, the older generation is having a hard time coming to grips with new standards and hopes to supress those supporting them as much as possible to ease their minds. I know Japan is often very conservative culturally, but from America's experience, you can't really stop the progress of culture as much as you hem and haw about the degredation of society's morals. It's going to happen, whether or not this proposed beach tattoo ban goes through.