5 ms·

I've lived in Japan two years and echoing what the other commenter said, there's definitely crime in Japan, moreso in Tokyo, but it's usually more low key and I

by dayvid 5y ago

I've lived in Japan two years and echoing what the other commenter said, there's definitely crime in Japan, moreso in Tokyo, but it's usually more low key and I don't think as widespread (or violent). - A delinquent student I had who dropped out in junior high caught up with me and told me how he went to jail and was a low level gangster. - I also knew an Australian older guy who got jumped by some teenagers when he was drunk. - Also a drunk guy tried to hit on a girl I knew while we were walking to the train station and literally tried to physically drag her somewhere and hit my other friend who wanted to talk to him peacefully. - A creepy old guy showed two junior high girls a binder full of pictures of underage girls in a supermarket food court and was trying to proposition them or something. My friend used to be their English teacher and confronted him in Japanese. When I turned to look at the supermarket, everyone was dead silent mouth agape. The old security guard lady who worked there was crying. - I believe I also spoke to a cop or an older person who said during the earthquake their was concern of people stealing or commiting crimes and they'd do it quietly. - There's also the women's only train in place because of chikan or train perverts who try to grope women during rush hour. I don't know of many other countries that have it. I definitely think Japan is one of the safest countries in the world. I left my phone on a bike and found it still there hours later, but there's definitely crime. I also don't know if it's great to conflate yelling, littering, etc. with crime, but there's definitely a correlation.

wirthjason 5y ago
I’m curious about your ex-student being a low level gangster. What kind of activities did he do? This is one part of Japanese society I know very little about. My wife always talks about yakuza being bad but can’t provide an details other than “they are bad.” She hates going to Kabukicho but it never feels particularly unsafe to me where as in the US there’s definitely places I would avoid at all cost.
- dayvid 5y ago
  I think he went to jail for being in a fight. I don't know much about gangster's in Japan, but I'd say from my limited experience that they manage basically gray-market and black-market businesses. E.g. hostess clubs and adult entertainment, some of the general entertainment industry, maybe drugs to a small extent, loan sharking, gambling and other related things. I would say that the violence typically doesn't bleed out to the general population unless you get invovled in some way, but you will get ripped off if you do business with them (again, I have very limited experience with this). As a low-level gangster, he probably was trying to get people on the street to attend an adult entertainment location (or scouting new actresses) and do general gopher jobs for higher-ups. Edit: Yeah, Kabuki-cho isn't that bad to be honest. To see the real dangerous Yakuza part of town, you have to go to Yoshiwara. I went there with a local and there was a dude walking around with no shirt and carrying a sword over his shoulder. He told me to not look anyone in the eye. There were police on each side of the street.
bigDinosaur 5y ago
It's a sad reflection on the state of safety in many of the world's cities but...this is quite tame. I think the question is: what are the chances of being a target in the worst crimes, which are being randomly assaulted/mugged/murdered/raped. From the women I know who have been to Japan they've recounted that it's one of the few countries they felt safe (in most areas) walking home late at night. Of course, that attitude probably leads to a few bad outcomes occasionally.
- dayvid 5y ago
  Again, I think Japan is one of the safest countries in the world. I'm mainly addressing the parent's comments that they've never seen crime in Japan and sometimes the meme in Japan that there's no crime at all.

by dayvid 5y ago

wirthjason 5y ago

I’m curious about your ex-student being a low level gangster. What kind of activities did he do? This is one part of Japanese society I know very little about. My wife always talks about yakuza being bad but can’t provide an details other than “they are bad.” She hates going to Kabukicho but it never feels particularly unsafe to me where as in the US there’s definitely places I would avoid at all cost.

dayvid 5y ago
I think he went to jail for being in a fight. I don't know much about gangster's in Japan, but I'd say from my limited experience that they manage basically gray-market and black-market businesses. E.g. hostess clubs and adult entertainment, some of the general entertainment industry, maybe drugs to a small extent, loan sharking, gambling and other related things. I would say that the violence typically doesn't bleed out to the general population unless you get invovled in some way, but you will get ripped off if you do business with them (again, I have very limited experience with this). As a low-level gangster, he probably was trying to get people on the street to attend an adult entertainment location (or scouting new actresses) and do general gopher jobs for higher-ups. Edit: Yeah, Kabuki-cho isn't that bad to be honest. To see the real dangerous Yakuza part of town, you have to go to Yoshiwara. I went there with a local and there was a dude walking around with no shirt and carrying a sword over his shoulder. He told me to not look anyone in the eye. There were police on each side of the street.

bigDinosaur 5y ago

It's a sad reflection on the state of safety in many of the world's cities but...this is quite tame. I think the question is: what are the chances of being a target in the worst crimes, which are being randomly assaulted/mugged/murdered/raped. From the women I know who have been to Japan they've recounted that it's one of the few countries they felt safe (in most areas) walking home late at night. Of course, that attitude probably leads to a few bad outcomes occasionally.

dayvid 5y ago
Again, I think Japan is one of the safest countries in the world. I'm mainly addressing the parent's comments that they've never seen crime in Japan and sometimes the meme in Japan that there's no crime at all.