Safety in Japan
This story, linked from JapanProbe, caught my attention and I thought I should give my take. It discusses the perception of safety in Japan, especially from a foreigner’s perspective.
Before commenting on this, I should make you aware:
1. I have never been a victim of crime or discrimination in Japan.
2. I have wandered city and country streets in the middle of the night.
3. I have slept outside on more than one occasion.
That being established, I believe Richard Lloyd Parry has the right idea: many westerners see Japan as this historical, ineffable place that seems to exist outside of reality at times… a world of fantasy, of geisha, of samurai. Nothing hard and grounded. I know that perception ran through my head more than once
Yet, anyone who spends any time here can tell you Japan is as real and modernized as any other place on Earth. Of course there are women supporting kimono at times. But what do they do? They shuck them off, text message their friends, and go shopping in Parco on days off. It’s no different than any other formal attire.
Where does this perception of being 100% safe in Japan come from? We spread it. Foreigners. Every Japanese person I have met warns me to be safe in my travels, to take care of my belongings. Every foreigner tells me not to worry, nothing can go wrong, nothing will be stolen. This may be based on individual experience, but there are other issues:
– The fear of crime in Japan is high, especially among Japanese citizens
– Murder happens. I repeat, murder happens. People are attacked, robbed, assaulted, raped, beaten, and swindled
However… Japan is safer by comparison. But does that mean you should drop your carefully-tuned senses now that you reside in Japan? Of course not. You can leave your luggage in an unlocked place in Hakata Station and expect it to be there in three days; on the other hand, anyone can walk up and take it. What is worth more to you, the relaxed mentality that comes from being in the "safest country on Earth" (said in irony), or the peace of mind knowing that your guard is up, and you are prepared to deal with the real world in Japan?
The former may make you enjoy Japan more, to appreciate this country as a type of refuge you have never seen, and it may never amount to anything; but it is in this condition that I believe we see stories like Lindsay Ann Hawker and Lucie Blackman.
"…I can easily picture her, finishing her coffee with the polite, sweet, shy young man with whom she had just spent an undemanding hour. Perhaps he explains to her that he has forgotten his wallet with the money he owes her. Would she mind coming to his place? He is sorry, but it’s only round the corner. How harmless such a suggestion might have seemed. And then the walk back, and the door closing behind her, and the sudden change in him, and the unspeakable aftermath."
Richard Lloyd Parry
Lock your doors. Lock up your bike. Look around if you hear a strange sound in the middle of the night. Don’t follow strangers to an unknown location unless you feel safe with them.
In Japan, I admit these precautions may never amount to anything. But I don’t want to you look at it as though I’m afraid of living here, or somehow renouncing the nature of Japanese society. Not at all. It’s just common sense, in any country. Don’t let yours be dulled in the land of the rising sun. You can enjoy Japan, and appreciate that all your precautions against crime may never be tested.
