It's difficult to separate this issue from the vastly civilized cultural context of Japan. Kids can take the bus because there is a near zero chance that someo

It's difficult to separate this issue from the vastly civilized cultural context of Japan. Kids can take the bus because there is a near zero chance that someone will do something bad to them. If they are lost, they are surrounded by people who will help them. North American urban areas are not quite like this ... Also, the simply geographic issues of housing/roads and large distances between things is a pretty big factor. No guns, homogenous society, extremely well behaved people ... American leftists and rightists would each find something to 'freak out' about were America to try to recreate the kind of civility they have there ...