First I would like to say sorry if this post isn't appropriate. mc~ and mods, you are welcome to delete this post if it's not to your liking or break the forum unwritten or written rules.

This is just a thought that pops out in my head after I watch and read some criminal news in japan regarding their local gangs (mobs). I find it pretty disturbing and quite shocked to find that they are taking "securities fees" from business, black mailing companies,etc. well, if we go there as a tourist it wouldn't be a problem, but what if we go there as an immigrant, plan to stay there for life or start a business there. I just wonder how people live there felt like. did they afraid of the mobs? let me hear your opinion on this whether it's safe or not to stay there. (keep SCANDAL members in your prayer guys)

Once again you are welcome to delete this post if you find it disturbing, admin and mods.

Sorry if this post is disturbing the peace atmosphere here. Just want to hear some thought.

Protection rackets and other mob-related crime are common internationally, not only in Japan. Also aside from drugs and human trafficking, protection rackets is their main money maker. i think. lol

For me there is no "safe or not safe" country especially nowadays where everything seems chaotic, every individual just needs to be cautious to their surroundings especially to other people. :|

@Ferdinand
Japan has one of the lowest crime rates in the world.
My friends there tell me it is one of the few countries where a woman can walk on her own in the dark in perfect safety.
None of them have ever thought to lock their car, Japanese cars did not have locks until they started exporting them to other countries.
You are quite right that there is organized crime, but they do not bother ordinary people.

My wife's sister and her cousin in London have both been mugged and burgled.
But out of 30 odd friends in Japan none have encountered crime in any way so I don't think you need worry.

But the Japanese Police although polite and fair need to be treated with respect.
An English friend got drunk there and made a nuisance of himself and the Police took him to the Police station and beat him for disturbing the harmony of the street, but they then let him go without any charge !

First, the yakuza (the criminal organisations in Japan) are a different kind of bad than other gangs around the world. They generally don't mess with foreigners because, simply put, you're a potential customer of their services (they're involved in a disturbingly high number of businesses, legitimate and not). They're only going to mess with you if you owe them something or disrespect them. Otherwise, they can actually be as respectful and polite as the rest of Japanese society.
Second, the police actually have been more aggressive with containing the yakuza problem since their influence has now been causing major problems to the Japanese, and even world, economy because they engage in huge financial scams as well as the more lowly protection rackets and prostitution.
Ultimately, as someone else posted, Japan is still amongst the lowest in the world in terms of crime and that hasn't changed. Just be polite and orderly and you'll receive the same.

Japan is one of the safest places in the world. You can look at statistics to see (1.3 robberies per 100,000 people in Japan compared to 233 robberies per 100,000 people in the US) but anyone who's been there will tell you it's extremely safe. Bikes do have locks, but they're just locks that stop the rear wheel from moving, nothing stops you from picking up the bike and just walking off. Not like a bike lock in the US where you need to run a chain through the wheels and frame and then around a tree or someone will steal the pieces of the bike... Like tony said, women (dressed attractively) can walk alone at night, etc etc.

Personally I'm not a city person at all. When I visit NYC I feel like I can't relax for a second, and I'm always trying avoid looking like an easy-target tourist. In Tokyo it's a completely different vibe. It's quiet, people are polite, and you can walk around at night holding your expensive smartphone without worrying about getting mugged. Even for someone like me who doesn't like cities, Tokyo is a very relaxing place to be.

There's no 100% safe country. Personally, I have been scared of becoming the bad guy with all my bad habits...
I've heard that the yakuza themselves are pretty polite (a code of honour??). My friend went to Japan with his family and managed to take a photo with one and his daughter.

I agree that there is no doubt that Japan is one of the most safe countries in the wolrd. Since we are in this subject i would like to ask a question since i'm planning on moving to Japan. Are the poeple in Japan loyal? What i mean by that is are the poeple nice? And do they do drugs? such as weed and all that bad stuff because i am tired of living in a country filled with mean and bad people. Sorry to bring such a bad subject up but i just want to know since we are talking about crime rates and everything

There's a lot stronger of a sense of public politeness then western countries. Generally speaking of course, if someone doesn't like something about you they're not going to say anything, they just keep it to themselves. The people I've met there were really nice. I'm sure it's like a lot of places, some people are nice, some aren't.

They drink alcohol but other drug use is really taboo.

If you want to learn more about Japan culture I recommend checking out this guy's videos on youtube. He lives there and has an absolute ton of great information and covers all the topics in this thread in detail.
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheJapanChannelDcom?feature=chclk

Once again, this is generalizing, one thing about countries with very low crime rates, if a serious crime happens it gets a lot of publicity which makes it seem that the country has more crime that it actually does.

I've traveled quite a bit and Japan is definitely one of the safest places I have been to. Travel smart, and don't do stupid things that will make you a target for criminals.

@GROLEM11
Just like 320x200 says sadly there are good and bad people in every country.
But most Japanese people just want a decent life for their family and are prepared to work hard for it, but they party hard as well.
In the UK it is an offence to be drunk in a public place but nobody worries about that in Japan.

www.japan-guide.com also has a lot of infomation about Japan and going there.
I still think Japan is unique in that it is not like any other country.
But they are hard people to read as they like to hide their emotion behind their good manners ( except when they are drunk...hehe )

But I have been ashamed when friends have come to the UK to visit and have been shocked by the litter and rubbish everywhere and how everyone tries to rip them off.

320x200 wrote:There's a lot stronger of a sense of public politeness then western countries. Generally speaking of course, if someone doesn't like something about you they're not going to say anything, they just keep it to themselves. The people I've met there were really nice. I'm sure it's like a lot of places, some people are nice, some aren't.

They drink alcohol but other drug use is really taboo.

If you want to learn more about Japan culture I recommend checking out this guy's videos on youtube. He lives there and has an absolute ton of great information and covers all the topics in this thread in detail.
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheJapanChannelDcom?feature=chclk

@320x200: I would prefer they tell me what's wrong with me or my attitude so I can blend with their society better.

Looks like I worried for nothing. I Plan to move there so it might be useful to do some research before I really move there. Thanks for the input

Ferdinand wrote:@320x200: I would prefer they tell me what's wrong with me or my attitude so I can blend with their society better.

Yeah, I know what you mean and agree, but that's not going to happen. Japan is a culture that works to preserve "harmony" so to speak. They're not going to point out your flaws, even in a nice way, because they don't want to cause you to be embarrassed. Complaining or saying something negative is something people avoid at all costs. Reading between the lines and interpreting body language is where you're going to get your only clues. It can be massively frustrating at times because you won't know something was bad until way after the fact, if at all. To blend into their society better you'll want to do all the research you possibly can ahead of time and be hyper-observant and really, really watch what other people do.

I see thank you for the information.

Great topic! If you are moving to Japan, just remember. It's bloody expensive there. My co-workers wife is Japanese, and also an international flight attendant, so they travel there at least twice a year. Some of the stories he tells of how much everything costs there is incredible! As far as crime, we should be so lucky here in the US. It's amazing how Japanese society is organized. Just look at the difference between what happened here after Katrina, and how Japan handled the tsunami!

This is a very good question, in my opinion Japan is a very safe country, sure there are crimes, but there isn't a country where there isn't. But the most important thing is how the people react to these things. The people there are amazing, i was amazed by how they handled the tsunami. It gave me strenght, and power. The people in Japan, are great. I don't know if that is related to the topic. If it isn't you can delete it. And about Yakuza, things are a lot different from how they were 30 - 40 years ago. I wasn't born then, but i've read a lot of news about that matter.

yea fam, i havent been 2 japan so i wont no, if the guys says it safe the then u should trust then, 2 of my teacher went 2 japan and they really liked it, one of my teacher she been 2 japan with her brother and wen she came back 2 weeks ago, she was telling me how awesome it is, she also told me that her brother wen there 5 time and he really enjoyed it, the truth is i rather live in japan than the UK,

@tony, u no about the riot thing right that was well crazy, it lasted 4 5 days i thinks

anyway the police in the UK is annoying, the poilce stoped my mate cos he was with a massive group of people, then the police stopped them and did a search on them, the thing is they took him 2 court just cos he was carrying a marker pen.

amz7250 wrote:yea fam, i havent been 2 japan so i wont no, if the guys says it safe the then u should trust then, 2 of my teacher went 2 japan and they really liked it, one of my teacher she been 2 japan with her brother and wen she came back 2 weeks ago, she was telling me how awesome it is, she also told me that her brother wen there 5 time and he really enjoyed it, the truth is i rather live in japan than the UK,

@tony, u no about the riot thing right that was well crazy, it lasted 4 5 days i thinks

anyway the police in the UK is annoying, the poilce stoped my mate cos he was with a massive group of people, then the police stopped them and did a search on them, the thing is they took him 2 court just cos he was carrying a marker pen.

Well there are things like this here too. Some Policemen, think that stopping teens who just have fun is better than actually doing their jobs. I was stopped once 'cause it 11 p.m. and i went to McDonalds to get something to eat :X

Valkata wrote:

amz7250 wrote:yea fam, i havent been 2 japan so i wont no, if the guys says it safe the then u should trust then, 2 of my teacher went 2 japan and they really liked it, one of my teacher she been 2 japan with her brother and wen she came back 2 weeks ago, she was telling me how awesome it is, she also told me that her brother wen there 5 time and he really enjoyed it, the truth is i rather live in japan than the UK,

@tony, u no about the riot thing right that was well crazy, it lasted 4 5 days i thinks

anyway the police in the UK is annoying, the poilce stoped my mate cos he was with a massive group of people, then the police stopped them and did a search on them, the thing is they took him 2 court just cos he was carrying a marker pen.

Well there are things like this here too. Some Policemen, think that stopping teens who just have fun is better than actually doing their jobs. I was stopped once 'cause it 11 p.m. and i went to McDonalds to get something to eat :X

yea fam, ur right but still its best 2 live in japan than the UK, its just the police theres these racist assholes in the UK called the EDL (England defense league) btw soz 4 swearing its just that there the most racist people there, just hate them so dam much, cos of them its hard 4 people like me 2 roam around the streets,

There are many things I respect the Japanese for. But honestly the Japanese community creeps. And from stories I heard Japanese are quite the hypocrite ones (ofc not everyone is but when the percentage is too high it's a bit disturbing). From close Japanese friends I've heard Japanese are the type of people who would say hello each day but then go to your boss and say you don't do your job well.
I live in a Balkanian country and my people is slavic. We're not like any other people in the world. Here even if you are poor as hell and you'd still share everything with your friends. People from the villages would invite you to your homes without knowing you and feed you with what they have (even if it's not much, they'd still offer you to you all they have). And our Japanese friends were very surprised when we sometimes buy things for them, or we pay the bill at the restaurent. They are very confised each time. They say in Japan, that's impossible... No one would do that for you.

I like reading history related stuff and what I learnt from books is that Japanese and Chinese people just don't understand the value of the human life. For them one human being is nothing.

Personally, I would never go live in Japan. I'd like to go visit, go shopping there every year but I don't want to live there.

Don't hate me much guys <3

@Ronrinesu
I could never hate you !
Japanese and Chinese culture is very different to what we are used to in Europe.
It is the good of the community that matters, the individual does not matter.
There is a Japanese saying "The nail that stands up will be hammered down".
Meaning you will be the same as everyone else.

Hrm strange, that hasn't been my experience at all with the Japanese people I've met. For example, this one Japanese person I met bought me breakfast on the spot, suggested lots of places to visit while in Japan, made sure I got on the right bus and then later we met up again and went sightseeing and had dinner. They were incredibly nice and absolutely refused to let me pay for anything.

My 2 cents on historical stuff is that you can't judge people living now by the way other people from the same country behaved before they were even born. :)

@320x200
I think I should bow to your superior knowledge because I have never been to Japan.
English friends who have been to Japan have been treated the same way.

I've heard "The nail that stands up will be hammered down" too. There's definitely a stronger desire to "fit in" than western countries it seems.

I think it's not so much that people aren't important, is that the group's well-being is seen as being more important than the individual.

You have to understand that Japan is a very homogenous society. Immigration is very strictly regulated. Japan has a very large population for a very small land mass. I believe that to become a citizen, you have to have a corporate sponsorship. They do allow limited immigration for some jobs, but are only allowed to stay in the country for a limited time. Then they are required to return to their country of origin. You don't hear much about illegal immigration in Japan, as is the case here in the US.

@OldNightDude
I think you have fallen for one of the many Japanese myths that they like to spread themselves !
Japan looks small next to China but the land mass is actually bigger than Germany, so if Japan was in Europe it would be the largest country.
Once you get out of the cities there is still lots of empty space.