Safety in Japan Of all the places I’ve traveled to, Japan is perhaps the safest. It’s a place where you can forget your camera at a bus stop, and return 2 hours later to find it still there. Though walking about at midnight isn’t advised, you can do so and feel at ease in most areas, especially if in a group. Also, although there are many homeless people crouched in the corners of buildings and sleeping in the parks, they are rarely aggressive like the panhandlers here. This is NOT to say crime doesn’t occur. While I was in Hiroshima, one of my friends was mugged, and all who I’ve spoken to constantly bemoan a rising crime rate brought on by a culture of youths who don’t want to work. There are also such infamous crime organizations such as the yakuza, rings of prostitution, and all the other forms of corruption and crime found elsewhere. On a daily and personal basis however, if you don’t go looking for trouble, it doesn’t seem you’re likely to find it. The biggest problem you might have to deal with, especially if you’re a woman, is sexual harassment. The first experience I had with this was at the Starbucks across from Parco on Hondori. A sign in Japanese and English warned to watch for any suspicious packages. Confused, I asked my comrades as to its meaning and was told that there had apparently been a rash of perverts planting hidden cameras in restrooms. Other tales include men who program their cameras to snap pictures before putting them in a bag which they discreetly move beneath girls’ skirts in crowded areas as well as numerous accounts of groping on the subways. Some places like Osaka have designed women-only cars to avoid this, though my experience was that patrons were NOT just women. Truth be told however, I only had two experiences along these lines, neither any different than some of the harassment I’ve suffered in the United States, so I don't think it is something that really needs to be worried about too much. Recomendations Take your purse or wallet with you and don’t leave valuables sitting around unless a friend is watching them. It doesn’t matter where you are: café, school, library…take it with you. This may seem a statement of the obvious, but there are many people in Japan who don’t bother and who will ask why you do. Generally, their belongings are perfectly safe. However, as the maxim says, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Hiroshima Jyogakuin University actually had a string of petty thefts during my time there with girls’ purses and wallets being taken while they stepped into the restroom or went to get food. If on your bike, wrap the straps of your purse or bags around the bike handle, tie them on with a lock, or even put a net over your basket. One of my best friends lost everything, including all her keys, electronic dictionary, identity cards, and school books to a thief on a motorcycle who plucked her book bag from her bike basket at a stop sign before gunning the engine and taking off. She apparently was one of a growing number of people to suffer this sort of theft, which with a little time is easily preventable. Always tie up your bike with multiple locks, even in a parking garage. Bike theft is actually one of the more common crimes I heard about while in Japan, although usually the thieves were nothing more than joy riders and the bike was later found. This is not to say however that it won't be cut up for parts, and losing your bike is a huge inconvinience in any case. True, locks won’t completely prevent theft but they help, After all, it’s easier to find a bike without a lock than break all the locks on a well protected bike. Police Police in Japan, though sometimes a bit surly, are usually polite and generally helpful. Like anything else, it depends on who you get to talk to. Finding the police isn't usually too hard. Their stations or kouban are all over the place, and they can often be found out on patrol, by foot or car. You also can call 119 which will connect you to the police, paramedics, and fire departments. The most common thing a policeman does I understand is give directions. They also handle lost items, including those left on subways or busses. Thus, if you lose something you simply need to find a kouban and ask about it. Although that station might not have the missing item, they can easily find out who does. You also can take found items to the police, although don't do this on your lunch break. There is a lot of paperwork involved in handing over an item, mainly explaining where you found the item and whether you want to be contacted if someone claims it. Except for in large cities and the off chance, most police don’t speak English or at least not very much. Thus, if your Japanese is nonexistent, it might be a good idea to bring a friend to help you. Talking to Strangers If you’re a foreigner, everyone will want to talk to you. Frequently, complete strangers will approach you, on the tram, on the street, even in a restaurant, and ask you questions. Usually these are “do you speak Japanese” and “Where are you from”. Sometimes they want you to take surveys and I even got asked to pose for a photograph once. Other times they invite you for coffee or drinks, completely at random, usually because they want to have the pleasure of conversing with a ‘foreigner’ or even are aiming to convert you to their religion. I have known people who took advantage of these offers, and for the most part there’s no harm in any of it. Unlike in the US, propositions by random strangers do not seem to solely be set ups for crimes of rape and robbery, nor are they usually preludes to illicit activities. However, I made a rule of refusing, ignoring, or even feigning the inability to understand. I prefer to play it safe like that, just in case the intentions aren’t harmless. |