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I find it hard to believe such a thing could happen in this day and age.

21 Comments

A resident of Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, whose car has license plates from neighboring Nagano Prefecture, after finding a leaflet placed on his car while he was at a mall, reading: "Don't bring the coronavirus to Gunma Prefecture from an urban area ever! I'll post your license plate and the car on the internet."

© Mainichi Shimbun

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

21 Comments
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Maybe he finds it hard to believe, but as a Gaijin, I don't.

18 ( +22 / -4 )

Out here in the sticks, I had a friend who had out of prefecture plates so he wrote "I'm a local but have ( ) plates," during the first state of emergency last spring, since he didn't want anyone messing with his car.

12 ( +12 / -0 )

Petty and spiteful. And sorry guy, this is exactly what I expect in this day and age

8 ( +10 / -2 )

> Maybe he finds it hard to believe, but as a Gaijin, I don't.

same

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Municipalities in my area issue "official" notes for citizens who have plates from other prefectures. My question is why don't you have to register your car where you are residing.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Xenophobia brought to the local level (think global, act local). I’ve even seen it in adults who graduate from different local high schools.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

I live in Northern Ishikawa and lived here for years. I Love it here and would not want to live anywhere else in Japan. I also Love traveling both by car or motor bike to Shiga, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, and Nagano.

The worst effect of the pandemic even for myself has been catching myself cringing when I see a plates from Kanto especially Tokyo, or Osaka, Nagoya. Well I have long since stopped but it just shows one of the worst aspects of this pandemic and how it can effect anybody.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

My question is why don't you have to register your car where you are residing.

You think there should be more needless bureaucracy?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Gunma is basically a commuter suburb of Tokyo. Nagano is not.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

But anyone arriving by train, bus or other public transport will be fine. Just as long as it's not a car with someone else's plates. What does it matter that it could be a local, outside not driving and just has a car registered elsewhere.

Kind of a village, almost redneck way of thinking.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

If you move in Japan once you get a new car, you need new license plates if it is in a location with different license plates.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

A few years ago, I happened to be employed in Miyazaki Prefecture (a most wonderful place to live!) My car was rented from my employer, and had been registered in Yamaguchi Pref., with Yamaguchi number plates. I drove around town very self-conscious of my out-of-prefecture-licenced vehicle, never imagining that I might be inviting spiteful attack -- well before Coronavirus pandemic, however...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The switch from globalisation back to nation states will see more of this at every level. Xenophobia and tribalisation. First foreigners and then anyone not local will be demonised. This is the new normal in our Orwellian dystopia.

There is a minor, unfortunate side-effect. For 50 years we have depended upon the free flower of labour - brain and brawn - to optimise the global economy. Reversion to North Korean style juche will flip the upward spiral into a downward spiral. The markets will still rise on transition spending by governments, but that will end, taxes and costs will go up and sectors will begin to crash. Tourism and airlines first. The effects are already being felt globally. The good times are over. The future is Soviet. It won't be pretty, and it will end in conflict as governments scapegoat minorities and foreign nations.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

flow not 'flower'. Editing features welcome.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Come on, its Japan ... what did he expect?

Land of the "passive aggressive" sun!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Don’t cry like a baby. If you can’t stand a piece of paper you have quite another mental problem. But of course if it should further escalate you still can sue that person of material damage to the car or illegal disposal of garbage and all such. Otherwise just throw the paper away just like you would delete a spam email. Does everyone else complain daily about every of all those unwanted mails? No, because it’s not worth thinking too much about it.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

This is more common than you thing. With the pandemic has come a fear of anyone not from your 'hood. I think this is more of a provincial affliction. I do not mean that provincial people are stupid. It is just they are less likely to see strangers. Consider Tokyo. People are jammed together on trains every day (and apparently seldom infect each other). They are strangers for who knows where.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

...from who knows where.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Oh, please! He probably only finds it hard to believe it's happening against HIM! In any case, let the coward who left the message and ran post the photos -- super easy to track. Then dox the clown.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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