Self-checkout registers are supposed to be a win-win. Shoppers can quickly pay for their items and be on their way, and store staff can focus on tasks that can’t be left for customers to handle themselves. However, the potential drawback is that some shoppers, either by accident or on purpose, might not properly complete their self-checkout transactions. Such a situation recently occurred in the late-night hours at a convenience store in Hokkaido Prefecture, leading to a violent altercation with a foreign tourist.
At around 1:40 a.m. on January 27, a convenience store clerk in the city of Sapporo’s Kita Ward noticed that a customer using a self-checkout register had rung up his purchases, paid for them, and then taken a plastic bag from the rack next to the terminal. However, the bags aren’t free, and customers wanting to use them have to include the total number they’re taking during the self-checkout procedure, with each bag costing 3 yen.
It’s unclear whether the customer, later identified as a UK national tourist, intentionally avoided paying for the bags, or whether he was unaware that they weren’t free to use. Either way, though, customers are supposed to pay for them, so a 48-year-old clerk who was working a shift at the store followed the customer out to the street and called out to him to address the situation. At some point in the interaction, the clerk says the other man struck him, opening a cut near his left eye.
The British man then left the scene, but the clerk contacted the police, who were able to locate the man and placed him under arrest on suspicion of assault. Following his arrest, the man denied intentionally striking the clerk, saying “We were arguing. I didn’t strike him, but when I pushed him away from me, my hand probably hit him.”
The exact course of the conversation the two engaged in prior to things turning violent is unclear, as is whether the men could understand the language the other was speaking. Nevertheless, the incident highlights some important things to remember when traveling in Japan.
First, the chances of a convenience store clerk trying to shake you down for extra money that you don’t actually have to pay are low enough as to be effectively nonexistent, and even if one of them were running such a scam, it’s a safe bet that they’d be asking for more than 3 yen. But what if the clerk hadn’t just asked the man to pay for the bag, and immediately said he was going to call the police? That’s all the more reason to remain calm.
Generally, level-headed people in Japan realize that the language barrier and differing social norms can sometimes lead to foreign visitors inadvertently breaking the rules, but in a case like this where there’s no malicious intent or damage caused beyond three yen, the cops aren’t going to put you in handcuffs and spend all night interrogating you…provided, of course, that you haven’t escalated the situation by doing something, like, causing personal injury to someone. If you let yourself get worked up enough, though, to the point where you’re professing your innocent by saying that you didn’t hit anybody, it was just your hand that did the damage, the situation is going to end badly for you, so dealing with the situation without even shoving anybody is probably the best course of action.
Of course, if the man knowingly stole the bag, the method for avoiding the altercation becomes even simpler: pay for what you’re supposed to pay for. In general, Japan is pretty accommodating of honest mistakes, especially from foreign tourists, but shoplifting and assault, even relatively minor instances, are things the locals are unlikely to give anyone a pass for.
Source: Hokkaido News Hub via Hachima Kiko
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- How to use Japanese convenience store Lawson’s self-checkout terminals
-- It’s now legal to buy beer and cigarettes at self-checkout registers in Japan
-- Foreign shop clerk and Japanese customer fail to communicate because of Japanese language quirk
© SoraNews24
99 Comments
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DanteKH
Would be interesting to hear the exact and true story on what exactly made that British guy snap. Usually it takes a lot of drama until one cannot help hymself and gets to physical.
Albert
@DanteHK
Based on what. It is still an individual person who reacts stupid.
If you want true story than this site is not the place to be.
Mr Kipling
Obviously DanteKH has never been to the UK, never met anyone from the UK or read any news from the UK.
That "English gentleman" image is false. The UK is probably the most violent place in Europe.
sakurasuki
It's easier to deal when cashier being involved instead self check out one. With cashier, those plastic won't come out at all, unless customer agree pay 3 yen. That also happen to self pouring coffee. Self operation can inflicted mistake either in purpose or not.
https://japantoday.com/category/crime/man-arrested-for-buying-cup-meant-for-%C2%A5100-coffee-but-pouring-%C2%A5200-latte-into-it
factchecker
How many times do we read here about entitled Japanese man children doing the exact same thing. Almost daily.
ian
What an idiot
Japantime
Luckily the British guy didn’t have a knife. It would have been a lot worse. I don’t understand tourists complaining about paying for the bag. In some countries it is much more expensive than 3 yen. I guess foreign tourists believe they are better than a mere convenience store clerk.
sakurasuki
Since he's from UK no excuse for him of not knowing plastic bag charges, it cost 10p in UK which equal to 20 yen.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carrier-bag-charges-retailers-responsibilities
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-46689684
garypen
At 1:40am, there's a reasonable chance the customer had already been drinking, and was at the conbini to purchase more beer. chuhai, sake, etc. Alcohol can make some people a bit feisty, who otherwise wouldn't be when sober. Or, he's just an idiot.
My question is: why did the clerk wait until the customer had already left the store to confront him? Why not politely point out the bag charge right away at the checkout? He must have been watching, in order for him to know he didn't pay for the bag.
BB
I'm always amazed to see stories like this - such drama at 1:40am in the cold of Sapporo... A fresh reminder that I'm as domesticated as a lap dog on the rug by the fireplace (from 9pm on).
stormcrow
What?! 3 YEN?! Bloody HELL!!!
lostrune2
It's 3 yen - don't lose your life over it
Just count it as shrink
Fighto!
There is never any excuse for violence against a store clerk. Those who work at convenience stores - a low-paid job - should not have to put up with this.
¥1 million fine, ¥1 million in damages to the clerk (plus any medical expenses and money lost due to not working), and a 10 year Japan entry ban sounds appropriate for this British thug.
Jayel
I'm British just like the assailant. People pay for plastic bags in the UK as well. He was stealing and committed assault. Throw him in jail I say and let him stew in the Japanese penal system until he can act like an adult who belongs in society.
kochikame
Let's be careful writing the correct English...
In the sentence [If you want true story than this site is not the place to be.],
Instead of [than], the correct would be [then].
Some dude
That "English gentleman" image is false. The UK is probably the most violent place in Europe.
Depends where you go, how good your common sense is, and how you act. I spent two weeks there at the end of last year and ran into no trouble whatsoever.
Wasabi
I disagree here, the self-checkout is only here to make the client do the work for free.
WA4TKG
It’s a Brit, that’s all need be said
WoodyLee
The Clerk is in the wrong here, should have never followed the customer out of the store and just call who ever he wishes to call.
He may have tried to take the bag back or restrain the customer over 3 yen and that's when he was pushed away.
WoodyLee
Bags Use to be FREE the clerk should have kept that in mind.
wallace
The clerk made an unnecessary fuss over a ¥3 bag.
WoodyLee
These Bags cost 15 to 20 yen back home .
WoodyLee
10 cents to be exact.
Sanjinosebleed
Lager lout deserves everything he gets!
1:40am…obviously drunk and obnoxious and probably used to intimidating people.
One of the great things about Japan is how hard they crack down on violence. Should be more of it in western countries Like the UK!
WoodyLee
""What?! 3 YEN?! Bloody HELL!!!""
Unbelievable plus the clerk went outside the store confronting the customer, Bloody Hell, LOL.
P
What do you mean? How would a tourist know that? And it's the clerk's job to ensure the store gets paid for what it needs to get paid for.
Cost shouldn't matter. When you use the self-register it asks you if you need a bag so you can scan the bar code, so there is no excuse for the tourist. Someone suggested he was probably drunk, which is possible and would help explain, but still no excuse.
The weird part is the clerk following the client all the way outside. There isn't enough context provided, but what has more likely happened, is that he called on the customer "okyaku-san, okyaku-san" and the foreigner obviously did not notice so the clerk went after him.
Seigi
Entitled people flock Japan these days, especially when they are from developed countries.
dmhondz
Most self checkout registers have English language options, perhaps he did not use that and did not realize the bags are not free. If not familiar, one would really think they are free for taking given that it is logical that you will need a bag when you buy items from the store.
Whether 3yen or 3000yen, Japanese are not known to make adjustments for ones ignorance. They will implement rules and policies by the book, no adjustments. Nevertheless, violence is never justified.
ian
Yeah should have made a fuss only when he stole a more expensive item or pointed a gun at his head
SomeWeeb
Bags should at least be your wage if you self checkout. You saved them 15 minutes of wages, whatever that is in Japan courtesy clerk wages. Sounds chincy.
ian
He did. Used to be. Now isn't.
Mr Kipling
I imagine our British hooligan friend had spent the evening sampling the local beverages.
wallace
ian
The clerk made an unnecessary fuss over a ¥3 bag.
Please try to keep it in perspective. A ¥3 crime is not a major one, like pointing a gun, as you have suggested. It wasn't worth the clerk's time to confront the shopper after he had already spent money in the store.
Spidey
Thanks for the morning chuckle.
But I would have use, "Blimey?!" ^_^
S
ebisen
What An Idiot!!!
Dragon
The vast majority of British citizens are law abiding. This was probably a simply misunderstanding or mistake by the shopper.
owzer
Yes, but what was the clerk WEARING?
/s
I trust the english gentleman will enjoy his new itinerary which includes an extended visit, and immersive cultural experience in Japan!
asdfghjkl
He knew what he was doing, probably a drunk yob. And if not he shouldn’t have let it escalate. Glad people stand up to this sort of stuff. 3 yen or lot more, once you let things slide……look at the west. No need for that in Japan. Not welcome. Slam the book on him. Harsh but needed as wrong is wrong.
wallace
Have all those expressing outage never committed minor crimes more than ¥3 like speeding or illegal parking? Using self-checkouts can be confusing if you are not used to them. I struggle a bit with them.
Harry_Gatto
People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. Your last sentence, in which you are attempting to correct the OP, is incorrect.
Harry_Gatto
Show me.
Yohan
The cut near his left eye of this clerk is for real, it cannot be ignored and this is now the problem for this foreign tourist.
In Japan there are now not many shops which are offering plastic bags for free, the only shops I know are some bakeries and restaurants if you buy bread or order food for take out.
However as far as I know it is not only in Japan where shops are charging you for plastic bags.
Wasabi
What a strange thinking, stealing is stealing. The thief is a thief.
Who steals an egg will steal an ox.
wallace
If this had involved a Japanese instead of a British tourist, it would never have made the SoraNews and would not have been mainstream news.
wallace
Wasabi
The clerk made an unnecessary fuss over a ¥3 bag.
Have you led your life without committing even the smallest of crimes? Speeding, illegal parking, tax avoidance.
What is the cost to the taxpayer now paying for the time of the police?
grc
Reminds me of the Japanese tourist who hit a policeman this past New Year’s Eve in Bangkok after being told it was illegal (because dangerous) to let off firecrackers
wallace
I have been in major stores and seen Japanese people stealing items. There are people in prison for stealing from stores.
ian
So how much should one steal before the clerk makes a fuss?
Saine
Typical ill-mannered UK yobbo behavior.
Sam Watters
Doesn’t matter. You hit the clerk and in doing so likely set back relations between long-term foreigners like myself who have invested years into making Japan more accepting of people from others countries. Hope you do some jail time and get deported, you jerk.
wallace
This incident will have no long-term effects on foreigners who live here.
USNinJapan2
Whether it was intentional theft or an honest misunderstanding on the part of the Brit, once he was confronted by the clerk the only acceptable thing for him to have done was to admit to the theft or his ignorance and pay what he absolutely owed. The cost of the bag is immaterial and there are no mitigating factors that excuses the Brit from physically assaulting the clerk, who was doing his job and is 100% in the right. Why some of you would go out of your way to excuse this unacceptable behavior is surprising.
wallace
ian
The self-checkout is in Japanese and he is a foreign who may not have fully understood. The clerk should have chalked it up to a simple mistake, not an intentional crime.
Have you lived your life 100% crimeless? Get back to me asap.
CaptDingleheimer
That conbini worker sure is dedicated to his craft.
Can you imagine some minimum wage worker in the US running after some drunk guy over two cents?
Spidey
Most self-checkouts that I have seen have an "English" option. Especially those in the big chain conbinis.
S
wallace
I do not excuse the tourist from pushing or striking the store clerk and making an almost nothing crime into something more serious. But it should never have come to that. The outcome will probably depend on what the store clerk wants.
ian
So how much Wallace?
Harry_Gatto
Unlike many people posting here I wasn't there to see what happened.
The customer made several mistakes including stealing a bag, arguing with a store clerk over 3 Yen which he should have just handed over and apologised, shoving and striking said store clerk, admitting to shoving and striking him (“We were arguing. I didn’t strike him, but when I pushed him away from me, my hand probably hit him.”) and not saying "I was drunk and can't remember" which seems to work for everyone else.
Admitting to striking and injuring the clerk means he has confessed and is automatically guilty. Anyway, he has had some time to reflect on this and can look forward to lots more reflection time.
He is unlikely be here alone so maybe his friends can come up with the appropriate amount of compensation which will lighten the sentence or if not then he may be here for a while, certainly long enough to overstay his tourist visa which means automatic re-arrest and deportation. On the plus side he will have the time and opportunity to improve his Japanese.
I'm a Brit with 27 years here, never stolen anything and never been arrested. I've been provoked a couple of times but am sensible enough not to react because if I did, for example, punch a Japanese guy who thoroughly deserved it, 23 other Japanese would all come forward and testify that it was all my fault. Know the rules, both written and unwritten, and you'll be fine.
kwatt
I don't understand why he (did not pay) hesitated to pay only 3 yen to the clerk outside there before striking him. If I were him, I would have paid it soon when the clerk told the bag costs 3 yen.
リッチ
These staff who are super employees. Stay in the store. It’s not your job. If you want to call the police on someone for a 3 yen bag do it bit stupid staff should keep their butts inside their shop. In addition self service means you are working for the store. Who works for free. They are lucky it’s only a plastic bag. Can’t wait until Japanese realize that 1 for you and 1 for me mind and these self service machines disappear.
wallace
Ian
you are unable to state you have led a crimeless life without breaking any laws.
Zaphod
Sounds like a silly misunderstanding. Not defending the tourist, but feels like both contributed to the escalation.
wallace
Did the store clerk outside speak to the tourist in Japanese who didn't understand what he was saying and maybe thought he was accusing him of something more serious than a ¥3 bag?
Sam Watters
Perhaps the issue is not so much having “led a crime less life” but rather committing acts of violence against another person.
Redtail Swift
Seems like a setup to me. How close did the convenience store clerk get to the man that the man felt he had to push him away? 3yen? All of this over 3 yen? Nah, I'm not buying it.
I would pay for his bag if I ever saw such a situation. It's 3 yen! I'm more willing to believe that this store clerk rushed this man, probably grabbed his arm or garment.
Now if you tell me that the British man was intoxicated that sounds much more believable. Normal people don't lose their cool over 3 yen. But an inebriated individual is not of sound mind and then the worse happens.
Hope they had video cameras outside to capture the incident. This story or article is definitely incomplete.
Cephus
There might have been misunderstanding based on shopping cultural differences..
However, two wrongs doesn't make it right. I imagine what if the customer was a vicious hardcore criminal armed with a knife or whatever, unfortunately ends killing the store clerks for a bag worth 3 yen. Following the customer outside the store was not a smart idea.
Jind
The British people can be very violent especially when they are drunk.
virusrex
You understand that the argument also works to make it difficult to believe the store clerk acted inappropriately, right?
Why not? it works frequently since most people are rational and can understand when they make a mistake, or even if not they will simply leave without using violence. This is news precisely because it is a very infrequent situation.
wallace
We do not know if the tourist had been drinking or was drunk.
itsonlyrocknroll
The Brit should have simply reached into his pocket made good the purchase.
The Brit knows full well that UK supermarkets charge for plastic bags.
No excuses here. I believe from my latest UK three yen is a fraction of the UK charge.
To then assault, touch, push, strike the assistant is ego driven priggery, an act of a bully.
For three flipping yen.
itsonlyrocknroll
My local Lawson convenience store assistants are dedicated customer service champions.
Ready to offer an umbrella when customers are caught in an unexpected shower.
Running after customer why they forget their Edy card, or change.
i simply do not believe an assistant would for a moment "rush" a customer, over three yen.
I suggest the assistant noticing the customer failed to ring up his plastic bag, politely requested he do so, only for the UK customer to foolishly overreact.
nickybutt
Who do you think you are kidding Mr. Kippling?
Number one must be Ukraine followed by Turkey, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Greece, Moldova, Montenegro, Cyprus and Serbia.
There are still many true gentlemen in England. However, there are some idiots! I do not argue that there are some idiots!
When I was walking home one night somebody threw a full bottle of beer (glass beer bottle) out of a car going about 50 miles per hour at me. It went past me right in front of my face and smashed into a wall. It was so close to possibly killing me. My crime, walking home by myself with my hands in pocket. Complete insanity by a complete stranger. Why? I was in a nice area too!
wallace
He should have tried the typical Japanese line, "I don't remember I was drunk!"
Geeter Mckluskie
Or...see above
wallace
We will never know if he took the bag intentionally or by mistake. We most likely will never hear more about this story again.
kurisupisu
We will never hear the true story so useless to surmise anything.
However, the 48 year old working the night shift was probably assuming that calling out a 3 yen shortfall gave him moral authority to impose his will on some foreigner knowing that the ‘rules’ had been broken.
Funny that the altercation occurred outside and not in the store where there are plenty of cameras?
Mirai Hayashi
obey the laws of the land, or go home!
kohakuebisu
Unlike politicians raping children at karaoke boxes, the Japanese police and Japanese law are pretty good at dealing with minor altercations like this.
fwiw, in UK cities, you are essentially free to shoplift now up to about 100 GBP equivalent. The police will only get called if you take "high value items". Shop security will tell you not to do it but will not restrain you. From (major network) news I saw on Youtube, self-checkouts are already been withdrawn in some countries due to excessive shoplifting at them.
mikeylikesit
Japan understands the concept that if we take seriously and manage the small behaviors, we avoid a lot of the more egregious behaviors. Why is Japan generally regarded as a safe and honest country? Because a shop clerk takes ¥3 seriously.
Kazuaki Shimazaki
I'd point out that it's likely the 3-yen charge isn't even the shop's idea, but the government's idea to dissuade people from using plastic bags in the name of Environmentalism (a Western idea).
travelbangaijin
Deport him - show him boarding a Japanese military transport in chains! That will teach the Brits!
Geeter Mckluskie
From "useless to surmise anything" to "was probably..."
The lack of self-awareness is remarkable on these pages.
wallace
Certainly, shoplifting in the UK has become rampant because there are not enough police to deal with it.
If the goods are worth less than £200, the maximum sentence is six months' custody. If the goods are worth more than £200, the maximum sentence is seven years' custody.
https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/outlines/shoplifting/
falseflagsteve
Ruddy hell! All this trouble over a paltry bleeding ¥3. Well, one thing you don’t do in Japan is use physical force unless you really are in danger of being hurt or protecting another. Mind you, even then you can get in bother with plod.
Futaro Gamagori
Strictly speaking, it's not offically "shoplifting" or stealing yet until you leave the store premises.
That's the reason why you have to wait for the person to exit the door.
If the store staff jumped the gun inside the shop and the customer says "i'm not done yet as i forgot some items and i will pay the plastic bag together with it.. etc etc" that would have been grounds for complaint againts the store.
OssanAmerica
Stupid git. When you "push someone" they don't end up with a cut near the eye.
iron man
No excuses, I visited UK in 2019, plastic bags were levied then. Do not protect the Brit, he most likely was annoyed that an asian challenged him..HOW DARE YOU! I saw same stuff in UK 30-00yrs ago. still colonialists at heart. 3yen. Agreed nonsense! for both parties!
Mirchy
He was probably also under the influence of alcohol. On my last visit I saw a lot of Englishmen walking around like drunken sailors.
dan
All this Brit bashing !
A certain section of every society is unruly and can be violent let's not paint every Brit with the same brush but yeah they do have the tendency to get violent after a drink.
Futaro Gamagori
Yes, this place is only for bashing Japan and Japanese people
Wesley
Surprised he didn't accuse the Japanese man of hitting his hand with his face.
Azzprin
It’s unclear whether the customer, later identified as a UK national tourist, intentionally avoided paying for the bags, or whether he was unaware that they weren’t free to use.
.
In the UK we pay for using plastic bags.
The charge was introduced years ago to help reduce plastic waste by getting people to reuse them, instead of throwing them away.
.
He deserves to be kicked out and banned from Japan for life.
After some time in a cell for assaulting the clerk.
Pukey2
Plastics bags are not free in UK supermarkets either. I'm willing to bet he knew the bag he took wasn't free either.
Liam Roberts
Dan you say about all this Brit bashing( which many have done probably arrogant yanks) then say we are not all like that then do the same with the comment about we are all violent when had a drink. I would say the same for every country
@Japan Glimpsed
The staffer lunged, his face collided with my fist. Nothing to see here. Per the suspect.
Sven Asai
It's not convenient at all, it's a stupid mess when carrying a few things or even something heavy to the 'quick' self-register for scanning, but first have to discuss a minute with the machine if a whatever cheap and what size bag is wanted or not etc. so you have to put down all the heavy items for that time wasting procedure and then again to pick it up for barcode scanning or alternatively searching the hand scanner which is anywhere in the background. I wonder which idiots think such a hell's thing out. In whoever's name, put a yen on all and every prices and give those damned bag or two out unasked and if wanted or needed.
wallace
If the tourist would "steal" a ¥3 plastic bag, why didn't he steal a more expensive shopping item?
Fighto!
The whole issue here is the violent, unprovoked attack on a store employee that left him injured. The alleged "theft" of a plastic bag is not the issue.
The British thug deserves everything he cops. Not welcome in Japan.
Chi
hopefully he gets a few weeks in jail, deportation and permanent ban