At lunch recently with a new acquaintance, she remarked that she felt all Caucasians should spend some time in Japan to begin to get a clue of what it feels like to be a minority in their home countries. One of the experiences which certainly breeds empathy for black folks back home is not being picked up by cabs. Another is being followed around in stores. This generally happens in larger
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Affichage des articles dont le libellé est crime. Afficher tous les articles
lundi 5 décembre 2011
Won't Miss #394 - being followed in shops
Posted on 08:00 by Unknown
At lunch recently with a new acquaintance, she remarked that she felt all Caucasians should spend some time in Japan to begin to get a clue of what it feels like to be a minority in their home countries. One of the experiences which certainly breeds empathy for black folks back home is not being picked up by cabs. Another is being followed around in stores. This generally happens in larger
jeudi 17 novembre 2011
Won't Miss #388 - coerced confessions
Posted on 06:29 by Unknown
The obscured word is "Shut".
Sometimes I wonder if my most ardent stalkers realize the risk they take with their hostile e-mail messages and the trollish responses that they make as they follow me to every site I comment on around the web. If anything untoward were ever to befall me, from a robbery to an attack to an unfortunate fatal accident, the first finger would be pointed straight at
mercredi 12 octobre 2011
Will Miss #375 - depictions of criminals
Posted on 08:00 by Unknown
If all of the criminal element would just wear these types of jackets, the police would have a much easier time doing their job.
Old cartoons used to show the bad guy as having a long mustache that he twirled as he contemplated his dastardly deeds. Criminals were shown wearing striped prison outfits or were snaggle-toothed, wearing eye patches or masks, or leather-clad punks. These days,
mardi 22 février 2011
Will Miss #290 - tattoos on Japanese
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
Tattoos are nothing new in the world, nor are they new to Japan. Every exhibitionist and her brother in the west has sanskrit, Chinese characters, or "Hello Kitty" tattooed on their arms. It carries no (or very little) taboo, and rarely will get you denied access to anything. In Japan, tattoos are actually a real act of rebellion because they are associated with organized crime and people of
vendredi 14 janvier 2011
Won't Miss #277 - bribing/paying back victims
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
In Japan, there is a curious habit of allowing criminals to bribe or pay back the victim so as not to be charged with a crime. My first experience with this came via the news that my successor at my former job, a Welshman, was arrested in a post-soccer game brawl and held in prison (without charges or bail) for 21 days. At the end of his stint, the instigators (who were Japanese) paid him
mardi 7 décembre 2010
Won't Miss #263 - blaming foreigners for drug sales
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
If you read a story about a Japanese person who is caught with drugs and arrested, there is a high probability that it will be mentioned that the detainee will be asked where the drugs were obtained and the answer will be, "I got them from a foreigner". The fact that this information is included for routine drug busts (like someone caught with marijuana or stimulants) for small amounts of drugs
lundi 15 novembre 2010
Will Miss #254 - general trustworthiness
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
A woman left her wallet, schedule book, drink, and slippers on a bench while she made a call from a phone booth about 10 feet away.
Both natives and foreigners alike are told constantly that Japan is a "safety country", and that people do not engage in petty criminal acts. This is largely true and at least a little false. I left a tote bag in a bike basket while running into a store and it was
Both natives and foreigners alike are told constantly that Japan is a "safety country", and that people do not engage in petty criminal acts. This is largely true and at least a little false. I left a tote bag in a bike basket while running into a store and it was
mardi 17 août 2010
Won't Miss #219 - panty thieves
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
There used to be a commercial for video on demand services that showed a man who realizes as he's settling into bed that he forgot to return a rental DVD to the shop. He undergoes a series of difficulties as he finds a street blocked and he can't ride his bicycle except down a series of stone steps (which demolish his bicycle) and he has to run to the rental shop before midnight or pay an
dimanche 25 juillet 2010
Won't Miss #207 - umbrella thieves
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
Long, plastic sleeves for wet umbrellas are offered next to the stand.
Umbrellas are everywhere in Tokyo. People frequently forget them on trains and in the holders outside of shops. You can also buy cheap plastic ones for 300-500 yen ($3.22-$5.37) if you are caught unprepared for a downpour. Every year the Tokyo Metro has a sale of unclaimed items that are left on trains and umbrellas make up
Umbrellas are everywhere in Tokyo. People frequently forget them on trains and in the holders outside of shops. You can also buy cheap plastic ones for 300-500 yen ($3.22-$5.37) if you are caught unprepared for a downpour. Every year the Tokyo Metro has a sale of unclaimed items that are left on trains and umbrellas make up
lundi 7 juin 2010
Won't Miss #182 - attitudes toward rape
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
When I was in university, one of my psychology professors discussed rape and culpability for the crime. He asked if a woman who dresses provocatively, flirts, and is in a place where people frequently hook up for one-night stands is responsible, at least in part, for being raped. When some people in the class said she was, he then asked if a jewelry shop that had a beautiful display of necklaces
dimanche 30 mai 2010
Won't Miss #178 - English graffiti
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
Almost all of the graffiti that you see in Tokyo is in English. It's very rare to see any Japanese characters at all. I believe there are several reasons for this. One possibility is that they feel more freedom to express themselves in a foreign language. Another possibility is that the vandals are either intentionally or unconsciously trying to distance themselves from their actions (which are
samedi 24 avril 2010
Won't Miss #160 - peeping Toms
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
I can't speak for everywhere in Japan, but Tokyo has issues with "peepers" or "peeping Toms". Women have to be very careful to keep their curtains drawn if they don't want some pervert to find a vantage point and watch them. I'm not sure why this is relatively common in Japan, but I suspect it has to do with a variety of social and (pop) cultural factors. Japanese men are notoriously "shy" about
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