何だかんだ言ってもニッポンは安全だよ

By Daniel Kahl

　凶悪犯罪が起きる度、日本は治安が悪くなり、「外国みたいになった」という声を聞きます。テレビのワイドショーなどで意見を求められるダニエルさんは、これに反論します。実は日本の犯罪件数は減少傾向にあり、ほかの先進国と比べても殺人件数は非常に少ないと指摘します。何よりも、ダニエルさんは自らが住む東京で夜、1人で街を歩いていても怖いことがないと言い、「これほど安全な場所は日本以外ない」と強調します。

　During my TV career in Japan, I have been asked to be a commentator on many of the so-called "wide shows" which are broadcast between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on weekday afternoons. I suppose viewers are interested in a foreigner's perspective on current events.

　These programs are quite informative. I have learned much about subjects which were relatively unfamiliar to me - like Japanese baseball, the Japanese entertainment industry, and, especially, crime in Japan.

　As commentators, we sit in the studio and watch a video about a recent crime. The video introduces the details of the crime itself, the suspect, the motives for the crime, and, of course, there is usually an interview with the victim or relatives of the victim. These videos are always very sad to watch. It is easy to sympathize with the crime victims.

　After the video, the program returns to the studio and the Japanese commentators start complaining that Japan is changing. They say that Japan is becoming a dangerous country. They talk about how safe Japan used to be, and how "Westernized" it is today. "You can't walk the streets anymore," they often say. Blah, blah, blah.

　I often object to their comments, taking the opposite tack. Japan is way safer than just about any other country. I say, "You should comment on this particular case, but please don't exaggerate that Japan is unsafe. It's not true."

　The statistics prove me right. According to a 2012 study by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, the 2010 murder rate in the U.S. is 4.2 persons per 100,000. But in Japan the murder rate is 0.35 per 100,000 persons (2009), or about 1/12 as high.

　This rate is incredibly low especially when you compare the population density of the U.S. (about 30 people per square kilometer) and Japan (about 300 people per square kilometer) - almost 10 times higher. Even Belgium, a relatively peaceful society with a population density similar to Japan, has a murder rate of 1.7 persons per 100,000. That's over four times higher.

　The rate is similar for other violent crimes. But the mass media here has sensationalized the crimes that do occur in Japan to such an extent that most people believe that the number of crimes is increasing - yet it is actually falling, mainly because of the rapid aging of society.

　Not only does Japan experience fewer crimes than many other countries, I know from personal experience that people go out of their way to help others. I see it every day out in the country and in the big cities. I have seen thousands of big-hearted volunteers helping out in northern Japan after the tsunami.

必ず戻る落とし物

　I travel around Japan on business a lot - at least four or five times a week. During my travels, I have lost my wallet twice. Yet both times it was returned to me soon after by the police. Someone, somewhere, picked up my wallet and turned it in to the police. Neither time was anything taken. And neither time did the person who found my wallet leave his name. They wanted no thanks. They were just doing the right thing.

　I've also forgotten my briefcase on trains twice, and lost my cellphone twice. (I suppose that makes me seem pretty absent-minded, but please remember these incidents happened over the course of more than 30 years!) But every time, my possessions came back to me, no problem.

　Perhaps there is less crime in Japan because most children are taught from an early age, at home and at school, to "do the right thing." Those "ethics classes" at school must be working.

　Of course, Japan is far from perfect. Bullying at school and in the workplace remains a major social problem. Reports of domestic violence and child abuse are increasing. And sexual crimes are almost certainly underreported here. But again, if you compare the statistics, Japan is still a safe place to live and raise a family.

　The most obvious example of how safe it is can be seen late at night on the back streets of Tokyo's suburbs. I rent an apartment not far from Shibuya. Sometimes, I have to take the last train home around 1 a.m. I then walk about one kilometer from the train station to my apartment. Mind you, my apartment is only three kilometers from Shibuya, which is a pretty rowdy section of the Tokyo metro-polis, one of the largest cities in the world.

　Since I'm from Los Angeles, I am always wary of who else may be walking along the same road in the dead of night. Americans are used to crime, so we are always on the alert for trouble. But as I walk home, I am not alone. There are always a few young women walking alone along these same dark roads, heading home.

　In how many other cities in the world can you see this?