crime

Convenience store worker arrested for assaulting customer over handling change

47 Comments

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According to the police, Hanazawa admitted to the charges, saying he lost his temper after the customer admonished him because some of change Hanazawa handed him fell out of his hand.

Only in Japan do people care this much 'how' the change is handed back to you.

33 ( +37 / -4 )

More and more people are losing their temper these days. I think the pandemic is putting a lot of people on edge and near their breaking point. Mental stress has been pretty high. And that the summer heatwave isn't doing us any favor. I also feel very irritated and worn out after a day of work recently. Only time i get to release some stress is by playing some Switch games with my family.

27 ( +28 / -1 )

Just drop the money on the tray. Problem solve.

27 ( +28 / -1 )

Assaulting an old man is almost inexcusable in this case as he really seems to have injured him.

That being said, I am always shocked at the audacity of the elderly here and their abuses toward people. They are often the rudest, racist, and have the worst manners but feel entitled to give instructions to others around them.

23 ( +28 / -5 )

Indefensible reaction to being treated like dirt?

19 ( +24 / -5 )

Lesson learnt: The customer is not always king.

18 ( +22 / -4 )

According to the police, Hanazawa admitted to the charges, saying he lost his temper after the customer admonished him because some of change Hanazawa handed him fell out of his hand.

I'm guessing that the cashier's stress and BS meter was already beyond the tipping point. I agree with Hiro, the pandemic is really taking its toll on people, drivers seemed more aggressive than usual in my opinion. Also agree with Timeshavechanged, I began to use my e-currency cards and accounts more since the beginning of the outbreak since there's no change and you can disinfect plastic cards without much hassle.

15 ( +16 / -1 )

While the elderly do get a bad rap, one doesn't know how the elderly act sometimes on purpose until one steps back and see it for themselves. They are sneaky and I love to sit at local delis and just listen in. The stories I hear and what they try to do and then laugh over the 4 hr cup of coffee and free glass of water taking up space that other patrons just leave and the business loses yet another customer. Yeah I think this youngster had enough of it.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

Not excusing what the young man did, but I hope this is a lesson to all those 'customers' out there who think it is their right to abuse service workers. I have been astonished to see customers shouting at staff over some trivial thing, and not for just one second of anger, but driving it home again, and again, and again.

"Just drop it, please!" I am thinking, but on they go, like some mini Hitler. The worker continues to bow and apologize, but it's never enough. There is a shocked and embarrassed silence in the store as the customer rants on and on, with pulsing blasts of electricity. Years of shouting on the baseball field? Part of me wants to vacuum these customers up and spit them into a ditch somewhere.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

The store clerk was way out of line - of course - but a lot of people seem to take their frustrations out on convenience store clerks these days, or are just generally rude to them. A student I know who worked in a convenience store was often treated rudely by customers who turned out to be younger students in the same college. Later, they'd wind up having to apologize, red-faced.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Not excusing the clerk's actions. But I'll bet the old man wouldn't have even said so much as a 'thanks' had the transaction been perfect...

It seems Japanese people don’t know how to handle anger well.

A lot of people in mainstream society (i.e not English teachers) are under incredible stresses for a pittance every day. The situation was already bad, this corona BS has made it a whole lot worse for many.

Again, not excusing the clerk's ultimate reaction to the situation. But the clerk might have been going through some heavy stuff with no one on his radar that gave a toss - and finally just flipped out.

9 ( +19 / -10 )

Friends working at combini told me most customers look down on people working there.

All the staff I know in combini and supermarkets are very friendly with me because I engage in conversation and I’m very polite.

i see the old men just shout a number for the cigarette brand, throw their money down and walk out with no eye contact.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Just drop the money on the tray. Problem solve.

Very true. When I was holidaying in Japan, I always saw plastic money tray near the cashier where people used for cash handling. I remember one time I wanted to hand the lady a money note and she instructed me politely with her hand to drop it on the tray.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

There are a lot of highly strung and cowardly loons out there ready to snap at the drop of the hat. They always seem to take out their frustrations on someone who can’t fight back - women, children or the elderly.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

People hate the masks the hot weather having to conform all the time, enough is enough and then BOOM!!!

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Friends working at combini told me most customers look down on people working there.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

commanteerToday  08:30 am JST

Wait until more of the younger generation realize that their shrinking paychecks are being taxed to pay the pensions of old people who enjoyed the bubble economy.

Are you saying that older people receiving their pensions never paid any contributions when they were working? That the money they receive in pension payments is not their own money being returned?

7 ( +12 / -5 )

Everybody is on the edge this days. This virus is bring out the worst in people...

6 ( +7 / -1 )

allegedly threw the elder man down, slammed his head against the floor and punched him in the face

it doesn’t matter how rude the elderly was. Physical violence towards elderly is not acceptable.

He needs to take anger management class.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

It seems Japanese people don’t know how to handle anger well.

Quite a generalization.

3 ( +17 / -14 )

Use the plastic tray next time..,

2 ( +2 / -0 )

This is why sometimes out of the blue I will by an extra tea or snack and give it to the surprised clerk. I let them politely know I understand their hard work and it is appreciated. Kindness goes along way, even in Japan. Like I said in an earlier posts, you don't know what the clerks go through until you stand behind the register. So ease up on the guy ok, it could not have been all his fault that led to this. As I said not all elderly are nice, just today I had one cut me off in line. She then used her Alzheimer's bs on me but didn't work as I had seen this elderly try that before and other occasions, yet has a great mind to money and where her ride is. hmmm. convenient Alzheimer's.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

P.Smith, No different to any other country in the world.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

customer: You're not handling that change correctly.

convenience store employee: What the hell!

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Wait until more of the younger generation realize that their shrinking paychecks are being taxed to pay the pensions of old people who enjoyed the bubble economy.

1 ( +9 / -8 )

@Hiro Wow, are you me? haha. This year has been stressful as all hell. Luckily I've friends and my precious, oh so precious Switch and PS4.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

A Japanese convenience store clerk is the last person i would expect to exhibit such violence.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

"Wait until more of the younger generation realize that their shrinking paychecks are being taxed to pay the pensions of old people who enjoyed the bubble economy."

AND been noticing those black trucks, and vans with those old saga songs gathering around many areas, with some having "their" bold lecturers standing outside their vehicles stirring up all those good japanese people.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Haven't ya guys seen Clerks?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Nowadays in Japan being 70 isn't really old.

I see tons of similar aged men exercising and they seem to be in the peak of fitness.

At 70 a lot of these people have years left to live collecting their handsome pensions while belittling convenience store clerks for doing trivial jobs although the clerks didn't really have a choice since now is a way more different era than when the self-entitled old men were living it up during the bubble.

At that time the taxes were low,the salaries were good and the oyaji of today have really become the golden generation meaning they think they are way above everyone else.

It's inexcusable that the clerk did what he did but if I were in his position I wonder what I would have done.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

the customer admonished him because some of change Hanazawa handed him fell out of his hand.

Bit of a leap from there to

being treated like dirt

the audacity of the elderly here and their abuses toward people. ..... often the rudest, racist, and have the worst manners but feel entitled

highly likely the old man was dreadful

how the elderly act sometimes ..... They are sneaky 

think it is their right to abuse service workers.

collecting their handsome pensions while belittling convenience store clerks

think they are way above everyone else

For all we know this 'stressed-out' worker deserved the admonishment for being slapdash and careless, causing the change to miss the customer's hand. A 'Tut, be more careful!' is no reason to put anyone - elderly or not - in hospital.

Invalid CSRF

1 ( +2 / -1 )

When I use the highways and I have to pay cash, I always held my wallet in front of the clerk at the mount station, so that the clerk can put my change directly in my wallet.

Monty, when paying for something, do you also ask the clerk to take the 'infected' money out of your wallet as well?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It's very odd ... at points of sales in shops, restaurants, almost all sales outlets; they usually put the money in a tray - more so nowadays to avoid skin touching skin.

Sales staff may put it directly in the hand it the customer is less able.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Though the result of the interaction is obviously bad and I am definitely not condoning the convenience store cleark's actions, I do however feel his pain because I don't know about other people, but I get really tired of the self-righteous old people thinking that they can and gripe all the time about anything to anybody. I see it virtually everyday. Some old japanese male ing about something so petty in the store or on the street, etc. etc. So yeah, I understand the guy's feelings but the actions are a bit out of line.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

the customer admonished him because some of change Hanazawa handed him fell out of his hand.

I think i would be more angry at a horribly written sentence. Than petty change handling issues.

What was the name of this store so we can boycott? Was it Popular, Yamazaki or Lawson?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Horrible violent man. So much suppressed anger.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

At least show some respect for elders..

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

In Tokyo I see so many rude elderly people that it beggars belief.

Selfishness is word just for them.

On the other hand......I find that nearly all of the young people are very well-mannered.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

threw the elder man down, slammed his head against the floor and punched him in the face 

To a 70 yr old that is attempted murder.

the staff should of just coughed in his face and said “next please”.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

Wow, That’s why you should go digital and use your Pasmo or Suica card!

-9 ( +8 / -17 )

@Cracapahat

It is not fear...it is prevention.

And I don't like to be touched by everyone's hand.

I didn't like that already before the Corona situation.

-12 ( +2 / -14 )

WTF! Unbelievable!

I always ask the clerk to put the money on the tray, because of Corona.

When I use the highways and I have to pay cash, I always held my wallet in front of the clerk at the mount station, so that the clerk can put my change directly in my wallet.

Since Corona I refuse to receive the money directly in my hand.

But till now, all clerks I met, understand that.

This Clerk here is an complete crazy idiot.

-19 ( +3 / -22 )

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