10 factors that make Japan a safe country
By Amy Chavez, RocketNews24
TOKYO
 |
Police Story: Nagano
cops become manga hunks!
|
We’ve all heard about how safe Japan is. But unless
you live here, you may not understand why Japan is considered so safe. The
uninitiated may presume that safety is enforced through a rigid society that
doesn’t allow freedom of expression, that Japanese people are too worried about
losing face to commit a crime, or that the government comes down unnecessarily
hard on people who step out of line. In reality, none of these rings true.
But we can’t deny that there’s one thing that Japan
does better than anyone else. Join us after the jump for some insights and our
own observations.
The one thing Japan does better than anyone else is
that it puts a strong focus on crime prevention. In addition, safety of its
citizens is paramount. Here is a list of some factors that we believe help
Japan be free from danger.
1.
ATMs
While this drive-up ATM in the U.S. may be
convenient, it’s also a crime magnet, especially after dark.
ATMs in Japan are located inside buildings or
banks, which provide secure environments to withdraw cash. They may be slightly
less convenient than ‘hole-in-the-wall’ style ATMs you’ll find outside banks in
other countries, but Japan’s cash machines are much more secure and offer a
greater degree of privacy.
2.
Convenience Stores
In Japan, you’ll never find one person working
alone at any convenience store, gasoline station or anywhere that could be
easily robbed—even if there’s only one person at the counter, you can pretty
much guarantee that there’s another member of staff in the adjoining office or
somewhere in the store. On one hand, it costs more to employ that extra person,
but on the other, it puts the safety of employees first and makes the store
safer for customers too.
3.
Parking Lot Attendants
You’ll see parking lot attendants in Japan where
you wouldn’t expect to see, or especially need, one. Drivers don’t give them
much notice either. But the mere presence of an attendant deters criminals from
breaking into cars or mugging people in the parking lot.
4.
Security Guards
Banks employ part-time, often retired, people to
help out in the lobby of banks. This person may greet customers and help vet
their needs as they come in or they may also help customers use the myriad
functions of bank ATMs. They’re also alert to potential suspicious activity and
provide one more barrier to the stash of cash behind the teller window.
5.
Firearms are not readily available
In Japan, they don’t feel it is an individual’s
right to carry a firearm, and everyone is okay with that.
6.
Low Tolerance for Drugs
Paris Hilton, the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney
have all been famously been denied entry into Japan due to previous drug
convictions (and no one here has a problem with this either). Japanese
entertainers, expected to be role models, apologize to their fans on national
television if they are caught using drugs. These ramifications reinforce that,
while people are free to make their own lifestyle choices, the country does not
support poor decision-making, and even drugs like marijuana—now decriminalized
in a number of countries—are still considered taboo by most in Japan.
7.
Zero tolerance for drinking and driving
In Japan, it’s not left to the individual to decide
whether they can drive safely while under the influence of alcohol. Zero
tolerance means no alcohol when driving, period. Want to go for a drink after
work but came by car? Then call for a daikou, a specialized taxi service that
brings an extra driver to drive your car home while you hop in their taxi.
8.
Koban
Small police stations, often no more than a single
room with a desk and a couple of chairs, called koban are strategically placed
throughout cities and neighborhoods so you can always find a safe haven, report
something suspicious or just ask for directions if you’re lost. Their
ubiquitous presence also encourages people to turn in lost property, including
cash.
9.
Zoning
Because Japan’s zoning laws are more inclusive than
exclusive, one zone can have multiple uses. Convenience stores may be allowed
to exist next to single-family homes in a neighborhood, for example. While the
presence of businesses in a neighborhood may produce a certain degree of noise,
the presence of so many observers around discourages criminal activity around
both the houses and businesses.
10.
Limited Immigration Policy
While we can criticize Japan for not being more
open to immigration, we can’t deny that it is one measure used to ensure the
country maintains a common belief system and shared sense of values. Basically,
by not being open to other cultures and value systems, they’re able to preserve
their own.
Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- Let this be
a reminder to everyone: There’s no such thing as easy money! -- Want to Grow a
Bonsai Tree? There’s an App for That -- “Denki Anma”: The Japanese traditional
torment that you’ll be glad stays in Japan
INTERNET SOURCE: https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/10-factors-that-make-japan-a-safe-country
OTHER
LINKS:
1. In loving memory of Rie Isogai, We decided to post this article by
Charles Lane and also some information from Wikipedia about Capital Punishment
in Japan.
Why Japan Still Has the Death Penalty By Charles Lane
2a. 10 factors that make Japan a safe country By
Amy Chavez, RocketNews24
COVER PHOTO:
https://www.facebook.com/VictimsFamiliesForTheDeathPenalty/photos/a.254785131310127/1699863240135635/?type=3&theater
2b. Crime in Japan Falls to
Lowest Level in More Than 70 Years By Toru Fujioka
3.
Japanese wanted posters are nothing if not graphic.
4.
Mortal Kombat’s Shang Tsung goes orthodox in Russia
5.
Police Story: Nagano cops become manga hunks!
6.Was WWII a Holy War? = Buddhist Roots to the war in the Pacific
7. Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Japan. It is applied in
practice only for murder, and executions are carried out by hanging.
Death sentences are almost uniquely imposed in cases of multiple
murders, though some single murderers have also been hanged in rare cases.
8.
OFF TOPIC - MIYAVI rushball 2017
