I've encountered this a few times in Tokyo myself; from memory at the very least outside of a mall in Shinjuku and outside of a building a block or two away fro

I've encountered this a few times in Tokyo myself; from memory at the very least outside of a mall in Shinjuku and outside of a building a block or two away from the Shibuya Scramble crossing. My traveling companion never noticed them until I pointed the sound out, so for those who find themselves in Japan pay attention if you notice a pressure in your ears and a high-frequency sound that seems to get more/less intense as you walk. If you follow the sound to its source you'll probably find that it seems to be coming from a metal trapezoidal horn, usually mounted from ceilings in places outside buildings from standard electrical junction box with exposed conduit. The sound itself is a constant, high frequency (18-20khz?) ring, and can get pretty intense as you approach the device. I believe they're anti-loitering devices targeted at young people, who can hear a higher range of frequencies than older people. I've encountered them all over the US (if you're in the Bay, there's one mounted outside the Twin Peaks Tavern in Castro), though usually they pulse rather than emit a constant buzz. They're sporadic but common in Tokyo for sure, I encountered at least a dozen in the combined week or so I spent in various regions there. It was always creepy to me whenever I'd discover one, the sound was slightly nauseating if I ever got too close and left a strong negative impression, as though they were some sort of threat. If anyone knows more specifics about these things btw, happy to have details. I spent a period of time trying to find the exact device but never could find any pictures of them, and unfortunately neglected to when I was actually in Japan.