The bad habit that Japan wants tourists to stop – and that could actually be illegal

Tourists pass shops in downtown Naha, Okinawa prefecture - (AFP/Getty)

There is a particular kind of holiday souvenir that Japan could do without: the old suitcases left behind by tourists after a shopping spree.

As tourists return home with new luggage stuffed with purchases, unwanted bags are being abandoned on streets, in parks and around hotels, leaving local authorities to deal with the mess.