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The recent arrest of 28-year-old Toshiya Tsuji, accused of committing at least two break-in rapes in Saitama Prefecture, has shed light on the low awareness of personal security by many young women who live alone.
Nikkan Gendai (April 16) quotes Rissho University professor Nobuo Komiya as saying that perhaps as many as half of young Japanese, male and female alike, are not in the habit of securing their doors.
“While living with their parents, they became used to having everything done for them, and they never developed crime prevention awareness,” says Komiya. “This is extremely common among those in their 20s and 30s. Especially when living in apartments or mansions, they feel a false sense of security due to the close proximity of neighbors, and don’t take precautions. Or, they might rationalize by saying, ‘There’s nothing in here worth stealing’ or ‘Why would anyone possibly want to attack me?’”
“There have been cases of women raped who were living in buildings equipped with an auto lock at the main entrance. Thinking that was sufficient, they neglected to lock their own doors,” Komiya adds.
Among recent incidents, the Kawaguchi police reported two cases of rape by a construction worker who used exterior scaffolding to gain access to an adjacent building, entering via unlocked windows. One of his victims was murdered.
Komiya advises against activities that may give criminals an indication that a resident of a particular unit is a woman living alone, such as leaving window curtains open, or letting certain types of rubbish, such as women’s magazines, pile up in the building corridor.
In 2006, the latest year for which National Police Agency data is available, 230,000 incidents of burglary were reported in Japan. The most common point of entry was from windows, with 93,000. Second place was the front door, with approximately 50,000 cases.
© Japan Today
24 Comments
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rjd_jr
This shows how dangerous Japan is becoming. Those days of leaving doors open, etc. etc., are long gone.
Statistician
Actually that's not true. There are nearly fifty million households in Japan so the chances of being burgled here in any one year are under half of one percent.
Still, always better to lock the door when you go to bed at nights.
westurn
Actually, "thats" not true. The chances of being burglered are very high, the chances of it being reported to the police though ??? I've had my residence entered on 3 different ocassions in two different towns. Twice I was home, chased em off, called the cops... who did nothing ! The third time, I did the leg work, hunted the geezer down in the woods near my place and dragged him down to the police station ! I can honestly say I've never had this problem in the States, nor has any member of my family or friends ! Go easy with your stats there stat ! You are dealing with cultural differences as to how different nations go about "reporting" crime. Americans will report the theft of a $5 garden hose where Japanese won't say a word about a$300 bicycle !
kenbrady
I had a laptop computer stolen from a restaurant a few weeks ago - partly due to my own stupidity. But I canvassed the area, spent hours with police, and generally made a very public pain in the ass of myself. The thief returned the computer by mail to me not long ago. Japan may be worse than it once was in terms of crime, but I'm still amazed I got my computer back. Wouldn't have happened in the US.
netrek
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/welcome.html
All the stats are there broken down in many ways.
In 2006 Japan had 230,000 incidents of burglary reported and the US had 2,183,746.
In 2006 the estimated population of Japan was 128,000,000 and 303,000,000 for America so that is 0.001796875 burglaries per capita in Japan versus 0.0072070825 for America. So our burglary rate is 4.01 times greater than Japan's rate! Why is that? I shudder to compare the homicide rates it will be even more skewed.
Zach
Azrael
Actually, in all the Japanese homes I've visited in about four years, the house door is ALWAYS unlocked throughout the day. Windows are unlatched. Back doors are ajar or closed but unlocked. People announce themselves IN THE GENKAN, not from outside. Even when homes have an interphone at the fence (if there's a fence at all; for example townhouses, row houses, etc.) the doors beyond the fence are unlocked. This always mystified me. I know some of my friends actually sleep with their windows open. When we stayed overnight working at our lab, the FRONT DOOR was left unlocked unless I went and locked it myself. Just because there's a security guard at the UNIVERSITY GATE like, three buildings away, they feel safe enough to have the door open at midnight. Japanese people lack self-preservation awareness (or self-preservation instinct?). There's this myth going about Japan being "safety country" despite the numerous reported murders of people in their homes, women raped in their beds, elderly bludgeoned in their own houses. However, the whole "safety country" myth is somehow entrenched into nationalist feelings. Saying that Japan is not safe enough to live with doors and windows unlocked actually offends the Japanese (specially those above 40 years old). I concur with the article; the people younger than 40's are in a bliss of ignorance about crime prevention; they are not even aware of that they are not doing. These two are very dangerous attitudes. It's puzzling how young people here carry their "messenger bags" with the strap across their chest and the bag AT THEIR BACK. Same with purses, sometimes flapping open. Those women painting their faces on the train, showing off the contents of their purses to everyone - what are they thinking? As someone mentioned, people here won't report crimes to the police, since in petty crime cases they (the victims!) feel lazy and inconvenienced by having to take the time to report the crime and deal with the police. It's astounding.
Anyway, not -everyone- is so blissfully ignorant. A friend here in my university gave me some advice, like: have some male clothing and hang it out with your laundry, to make people think a man lives with you; never hang your underwear outside to dry. That was clever. Some simple steps to safety in a Japanese context.
Smythe
Some parts of Canada are also claimed to be with unlocked doors & people are proud of it.
It is up to the parent to teach their kids about to step out on their own. My home is with normal locks, but also with dead-lock bolts. To an alarm system. Even anyone coming to my place has to hammmer on the door, a number of times till I open it.
NOW we are having far, to many people of many ages, but elderly people mainly, that are being abused for their possible money (thank drugs for this one) along with rapes to rapes & killings.
Azrael I will admit that I sleep with my wIndow open, but only a small amount to even in the cold winter months---something I have done all my life.
Smythe
Opps, for I am sorry as I failed to mention that I am a man on the old side, so no worry like that of a woman of all ages.
nath
But isn't it great the people don't have to worry about security at home? Crime will has and will always be around. It's how people deal with it that matters.
If you aren't careful, constant diligence can easily lead to paranoia and mistrust of your fellow neighbors. What kind of country would this be if everyone was afraid of each other? I don't want this country to be another one where everyone wants a gun for "protection" from each other.
And media outlets like this one certainly don't help...so be careful about what you read.
cleo
lol I used to have that too, until people found themselves being 'greeted' by a Dobie.
I have to admit, I tend not to bother about locking doors and windows during the day, unless I'm going out. Mr. Cleo is the one who always locks the front door behind him when he comes in.
Beelzebub
desune, are you attacking the message or the messenger? An article advising people to take a few common-sense precautions isn't quite as extreme as the kind of fear-mongering that drives them to sleep with a loaded firearm (if they could get one, which they probably couldn't) beside their futon.
bushlover
Hey that's what japan needs. loaded weapons by futons. This could curb the instances of an offspring trying to sneak up on you so you can have a fightin chance. Could have saved some mothers and fathers in the past.
nath
Beelzebub,
I guess the message AND the messenger. News outlets in general preach fear...some worse than others, so if one isn't careful one could end up paranoid.
This article accuses people (specifically women) of being "lax" when it comes home security. This isn't based on any kind of stated research, just some school teacher's opinion. And he goes on to advise that they take steps to avoid being noticed as a single woman living alone.
I don't think expending energy to cover up the fact that you're living alone is "common sense". When people feel that they need to hang men's underwear in their window just to feel safe, I think that's a sign of paranoia.
In the end, the article only serves to make people more afraid of each other. I don't think that's healthy or productive.
Statistician
@Westurn. I really am a professional statistician and I quite agree with you that all 'reported crime' statistics are suspect and contain serious reporting distortions (Chiba police were caught red-handed at it some time ago). But there is no doubt that the true underlying Japanese rate of offences is much lower. I actually included a qualification in my original comments but a moderator here has chosen to delete them, presumably because of an invidious comparson with the USA.
@netrek. I don't follow homicide statistics in detail but of all the crimes it is the one most likely to get fully reported and there are few differences in definitions internationally. I can tell you that the last time I checked the homicide rate per million inhabitants for Chiba-ken ran at 7% the contemporary USA average. Japan is far safer when it comes to getting murdered. Maybe this too will now be censored, but let's hope not.
westurn
Netrek, Statistician, etal...
Just a few months ago a book came out here in Japan highlighting this very topic, how Japanese police skew numbers and data to make their precincts appear safer than they really are. In the US, this simply does not happen. In fact, I would say the opposite happens... that relatively peaceful and quiet communities have nothing to gain from state legislators by being such. No siree, crime is big business and it puts millions of people to work each year. In short, it is better to have the appearance of crime than the appearance of relative calm. Obviously explains why so many millions of people continue to flock to what is consistently advertised as the most dangerous place on earth. If that were really true... wouldn't Americas population figures drop ?
Oh and Kenbrady... lost yer computer, and got it back ? Trust me there are millions of honest citizens in the USA also. We just read about one such construction worker, with a mountain of debt, returning hundreds of thousands of dollars he found. I too have seen people drop 10's and 20's from their pockets while walking, only to have some honest American return it ! Honsety is an individual thing, hardly molded by national character !
westurn
Oh, and is it me, or is there something just short of a "police state" mentality in Japan. I mean just step outside your home and take a look at all the police, guardsmen, cameras, security doors, gates, fences, barriers, false mirrors, viewing holes in the ceilings, and signs warning that "someone" is watching you ! I used to get a good chuckle about the recorded message at my local Sundaymart that asked the customers to please not shoplift from the store !
nath
I agree that crime; or more accurately, the fear of crime, is a huge business. Guns, tazers, bullet-proof jackets, home security systems, and even pepper spray is marketed to individuals. America spends more than anyone else in the world for security, and yet statistically, this doesn't make it the safest place.
However, I think the allure of America has to do more with RELATIVE safety, freedom and wealth. Those millions of people that want to move to the US predominantly come from poor or oppressive countries...or places that are even more dangerous than the US.
I also agree that there does seem to be an overabundance of security cameras and police presence here...but then I do live in central Tokyo surrounded by world embassies and 12 million other people. I doubt that Kyushu has nearly the same level of watchful eyes. Besides, where else are you going to get directions from?
As for the messages asking you not to shoplift; There's another cultural difference between Japan and the US that I hope doesn't ever change. In the US, they threaten you with a fine or jail time even though you haven't done anything nor intend to. Now there's a police state.
cleo
Yes, maybe it's just you. Or maybe it's just Tokyo. In my town I see few policemen, guardsmen, cameras, security doors or signs warning that 'someone' is watching me. Can't say I've noticed any viewing holes in the ceiling either, but then I've never thought to look for any.... Gates, fences, barriers I don't think are unique to Japan, but the ones round here tend to be pretty porous - we had to doctor the fence around our house to make it dog-proof.
It would be awful to be as paranoid as some folk. (Being paranoid doesn't mean that they aren't out to get ya, of course...)
thepossum
"In my town I see few policemen, guardsmen, cameras, security doors or signs warning that 'someone' is watching me."
This coming from someone with a known policeofficer in the family ???
cleo
You make it sound like an offense in itself....... :-)
Definitely don't see enough of her. And having a 'known police officer' in the family lets one know first-hand how short-staffed the police force here is.
Proffessor
Azrael, I am not the moderator here but I would advise you learn how summarize your post like the one above. Gets boring along the way....
thepossum
Not an "offense" Cleo, but a bit offensive, as we all ain't as dumb as you may think ! Westurn is so right with the observation that Japan is "indeed" a police state ! Fences, officers, cameras, security guards, protective doors that slide down to protect shop windows, mansions and apartments with elaborate security systems... obviously begs the question, If Japan is so safe... why all the security ?
cleo
thepossum -
Having a police officer in the family is offensive??
Well pardon me..... :-(
As I pointed out above, what you're describing is probably just Tokyo, or just the big cities. Not much of what you describe is in evidence where I live. Policemen, security guards, cameras, protective doors, mansions with elaborate security systems - only ever seen them in the big city. Here in semi-rural Japan I leave my doors and windows open most of the time - never been burgled. I can leave my bicycle outside with the key in it and the basket stuffed with shopping, come back an hour later to find the bike and shopping still there. There's a lot more to Japan than just Tokyo.
thepossum
"Not much of what you describe is in evidence where I live."
What Tochigi ? Didn't someone try to kill your highest ranking politician with a gun just a few years ago ?
"Policemen, security guards, cameras, protective doors, mansions with elaborate security systems - only ever seen them in the big city."
I don't think so ! I've lived in both major cities and the countryside in Japan. Crime appears rampant in both !
"Here in semi-rural Japan I leave my doors and windows open most of the time"
Odd, I did the same in the USA for 30 years and, like you said...
"never been burgled."
I sure as hell wouldn't do that here in Japan ! Fact is, the next headline could easily read:
"Young males Lax on security at home" !