Blasting up-tempo music, dozens of runners ran through a narrow shopping arcade in Osaka whooping and screaming to each other last week. Fuji News Network talked to Takayuki Komure, director of the Higashi Nakadori Shopping Arcade Association, about the incident. "I was working in my shop at the time," said Komure. "I heard extremely loud music and people screaming "Wooooo!" outside and wondered what was going on. When I went out to see what was happening there was a big group of people running straight at us. It was really scary. I thought a bunch of gangsters or motorcycle punks had come to work us all over."
The incident took place on the Higashi Nakadori Shopping Arcade, a narrow shopping street 200 m long located near Osaka Station, at around 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 22, the first night of the long weekend. Wearing matching t-shirts, the large group of runners ran down the center of the 4~5 m-wide arcade. Some people could be seen running with their arms stretched out all the way to the sides, and others shooting video on their phones as they ran. "They were all wearing Mizuno t-shirts and Mizuno shoes," said Komure.
Security camera video of the incident showed that around 80 people were in the group. People going about their lives were pushed to the sides of the arcade by the group of runners. A few passersby could be seen giving high-fives, but most appeared confused about what was going on and could only wait along the sides until the group of runners had passed.
The group run had been set up as an event, but its organizers made no effort to notify the businesses on the shopping arcade. People working there were angry about the incident. "I wondered whether they'd gotten permission," said Komure, "but I'm in charge of the shopping arcade association and hadn't gotten any request or application. I asked around and none of the other shop owners knew about it either. Naturally, we'd get angry about it. Why would they do this without getting permission? This is our place of business. 80 people running through here blasting music? They're no different from a gang of motorcycle punks."
The owner of a Korean barbecue restaurant that was open at the time said, "When it happens right as customers are coming to eat here it's going to make them wonder what's going on. If nobody knows then they might have second thoughts."
Maybe it was them!!! Just found this and there's a very brief image that looks like the mall! pic.twitter.com/uofE5rFYQx
— Running w Anime (@RunningwAnime) February 28, 2024
What was the group of runners? An investigation revealed an organization called Midnight Runners had run through the shopping arcade on the 22nd. An international organization with groups in 18 cities around the world and sponsored in part by Osaka-based Mizuno, Midnight Runners had set up the event as a meetup ahead of the Osaka Marathon three days later. The run followed a 7 km course through Osaka starting near Umeda Station and finishing near Osaka Station.
FNN attempted to contact the event's organizers to confirm whether they had obtained permission from the shopping arcade association. At around 9:00 a.m. on Feb. 24, people who appeared to be runners gathered again for another Midnight Runners event. Many of them appeared to be non-Japanese. On this day as well, speakers played music at a loud volume. Before the start people stood in the middle of the street blocking traffic to take selfies. Someone passing by on a bicycle almost collided with some of them.
FNN located the organizers' leader and asked him about the shopping arcade incident two days earlier. Asked if Midnight Runners had applied for permission from the shopping arcade association he answered, "We, uh....did not get permission." Asked why not, he said, "Because, uh....it didn't seem like we were going to be running that long." Asked if there was anything he wanted to say to the people on the shopping arcade he said, "I guess....sorry about that."
On Feb. 25, Midnight Runners posted the following on its Instagram: "We sincerely apologize to the business owners and shoppers who were disturbed. We take this situation seriously and will take better steps in advance about where we run to prevent this kind of problem from happening again."
A spokesperson for commented, "These events were set up before the Kyoto Marathon and Osaka Marathon for the first time to get people excited for the Kansai area's big marathons. The planned course did not go through the shopping arcade. We only heard about it later." Organizers apparently decided to run through the roofed shopping arcade because it was raining. Mizuno indicated that it will hold a meeting with the Higashi Nakadori Shopping Arcade Association to discuss the incident.
"They said they wanted to get people excited for the marathon," said Komure, "but the only ones getting excited were them. All they were thinking about was themselves. These people have zero common sense."
Translator's note: Some top comments from the version of this story in the first Youtube video above:
- "It just goes to show that it really is important to get an education."
- "Every time I see people who think it's okay to cause problems for others as long you're having fun, I'm grateful to my parents for raising me not to be like that."
- "If you've gone far enough to make people in Osaka angry then you've really done something incredible."
- "Why would they do this without getting permission? It's a crowded shopping street. Of course it's going to cause problems."
- "When I was in junior high my coach told us, 'No matter how well you behave, you should always be aware that a big group causes problems for others.' I've never forgotten that. 80 people just walking in a group can be intimidating. It's great to have fun at an event and you're free to do that, but you should still respect the other people around you."
- "If that's the best the organizer can do to apologize, maybe he should get out of event organization."
- "It's amazing that this organizer guy obviously thinks he's not at fault here."
- "It reminded me of a flock of ostriches that start running suddenly for no reason."
- "I'm amazed Mizuno supports this level of people."
- "I happened to see them right after they finished. I heard somebody say, 'We have such interesting lives!' Hard to believe, given what they were doing."
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Comments
These sort of 'Group/Shake Out' Run events are becoming more and more commonplace especially as social media gains a larger audience and brands use that to promote their products. Both the brands and the event organizers need to ensure they behave with courtesy and respect and do not infringe on any rules and laws.