Man robs convenience store, then asks employee to call police

It seems out of desperation he was willing to allow himself to be arrested probably thinking he might have it easier in jail. Believe me, jails in Japan are no walk in the park. I've been inside twice and will tell you first hand that the food is terrible and the comforts of home are no where to be found. Additionally, Japan is a country that doesn't allow you to post bail to get out and await trial. You'll sit for 90 days in a small damp cell with no heat in the winter waiting your arraignment.

No. The biggest crime of all is that there are those who believe they should have the things they want without working for it and that those who have more than they do have perpetrated a crime against them. You give, you take. There system more fair and just than capitalism.

Darknuts, I would have agreed & we would go back around 40yrs agao, BUT since then the rich have not so slowly been vacuuming up $$$ at an insanely greedy rate , select few get the BIG bonuses each year while the rest usually get something like this:

While this years earnings were indeed outstanding, WE need to see if these trends will persist into the future in order to give raises to those lowest on the totem pole

And this has been repeated NON-STOP for at least 3 decades & we have seen the wealthy absorb the vast majority of profits.

I have been saying for ages the rich need to watch out as THEY are KILLING the golden goose, the middleclass, they are being WIPED OUT around the world & there WILL be hell to pay here & there & possibly on a scale I don't even want to type about!!!

A government has failed when voluntarily giving up your freedom is the easiest road out of poverty

Well said. Poverty is a complicated global epidemic that shows up in least expected ways. Japan’s rigid employment structure coupled with ageism makes it extremely hard for those 40+ to recover from a financial setback. The labor market, although more flexible than 20 years ago, remains tight and exclusionary, rebuffing women, older Japanese and foreigners. Tradition sustains these practices even as cracks in society become clearly visible.

The Japanese Government should provide an unconditional basic income of 3,245,550.00 yen (equivalent of $30,000 United States Dollars) to all of its citizens.

That’s basically a middle class income in Japan, not a “basic income.

According to japan’s Tax policy a basic income is approximately 960,000yen/year although this year I heard it may be going up.

The Japanese Government should provide an unconditional basic income of 3,245,550.00 yen (equivalent of $30,000 United States Dollars) to all of its citizens. This way, if someone ever falls on difficult times they have a cushion. The Basic Income should also start in neighboring countries like China and so forth.

The Basic Income would solve issues like this individual had. This way nobody ever has to worry about having a source of income even if they lose their job.

Japan isn't alone with this type of problem. Globally, we may start seeing the Victorian style Workhouses reemerge - particularly in the UK. Watch for Overseas Aid budgets being cut (as they should be) - particularly for India!

@darknuts - I'm guessing that you have a job, or have Savings to live off... Count yourself lucky.

Once you're out of work, you can apply for Income support through the local "Hello Work" office, which will last for a few months, but thereafter you simply fall off the statistics and are of no interest to anyone.

Take a look at the Official web site for the way the Unemployment rate is calculated.

https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/roudou/qa-1.html

I feel sorry for this chap, and also for the countless old folk who do similar things, in order to seek accomodation and food.

When you're in work, you turn a blind eye to these types of problems, but when you're without work, the hard-reality soon sinks home.

@kohakuebisu - what you've said, does not make sense. Any normal person, if robbing for a larger amount, would simply have left the scene quickly. No, he robbed the Store , in order to, as other comments here have suggested, to live.... what would you have done ?

A government has failed when voluntarily giving up your freedom is the easiest road out of poverty

Looking for free accommodation and food. If he can´t find other income, who can blame him?

Prison isn't bad. Meals, a place to sleep, entertainment, and heat. It makes sense.

On first reading, this sounded like a staged robbery to get arrested for some meals and shelter. Maybe a cry for help as well.

However, on second reading, I noticed the wording which says the perp asked for police because 37,000 yen, the amount in the till, was not enough to live on, as if that affected the decision to give himself up. I doubt it did, but it's a bizarre thing to say.

Capitalism is the biggest crime of all.

No. The biggest crime of all is that there are those who believe they should have the things they want without working for it and that those who have more than they do have perpetrated a crime against them. You give, you take. There system more fair and just than capitalism.

i have mixed feeling about this story

Its been a bit since this ""trick of the trade"" has been in the news, usually its the elderly continually shoplifting so they can get shelter, REALLY sad to see younger Japanese feeling the need to do the same...…

Just another example of how Japan in decline & folks its going down a LOT faster that we think.

If interest rates here were to ever climb...…. then we are ALL done for!

Hey I have an idea. No money? GET A JOB!!! There's plenty of them out there!!!

Figured this one just on the header line alone. Unfortunately there are many out there and more of these crimes coming.

Society is slowly deteriorating which can be attributed to the government's lack of good governance. Because of the national debt equivalent to 340% of GDP and counting, the elected officials are more concerned about paying the interest instead of improving the living standards of below average citizens. With low inflation but higher taxes plus the negative interest rates on savings, lesser people are making deposits. (instead of depositors receiving the interest, the banks are receiving the interest from their depositors) Sooner or later, the government will either defaults on the loans or increase more taxes or introduce new taxes which will bring to more sufferings not only to the below average but also average citizens.

A cry for help.

Not that Japan's current legal system will have any sympathy for him.

For goodness sake, don't put him into Tokyo Detention centre. That place only creates more disturbed minds and more recidivism.

Poor sod. Apart from the threatening of the staff member, I have sympathy for the guy.

Capitalism is the biggest crime of all.

Aaaaannnd another 40 something crime. What happened to this generation??

where they will get medical coverage, 3 meals a day, and a place to sleep.

On our dime, I mean ¥10.

Get ready for more stories like this. As winter fast approaches, more people will commit crimes that are just bad enough to get them a sort prison sentence, where they will get medical coverage, 3 meals a day, and a place to sleep.