Youth Violence in Japan

[GodofHardcore]

I used to get the Japan Today newsletter and it seemed every other day there was some report of a girl being found dead and killed by a classmate or
some violence breaking out in a school the whole kid severing his mom's head thing.

I also hear how common bullying is in Japanese schools and how teachers almost encorage it.

I wouldn't say it's worse in Japan than it is here in the US I assume most violence among teens in this country never makes the news.

But alot of Japanophiles in this country think Japan is the great land of Milk and honey or Wasabi and Miso or something. Yet just becuase they have strict gun laws doesn't mean it's crime free.

But since there are people here that live in Japan I was wondering if you could comment on that.

[Yakumo]

I used to get the Japan Today newsletter and it seemed every other day there was some report of a girl being found dead and killed by a classmate or
some violence breaking out in a school the whole kid severing his mom's head thing. Every other day??? More like a few times a year.


I also hear how common bullying is in Japanese schools and how teachers almost encorage it. Elementary schools have no more or maybe less than your average British elementary school. Can't say for any other country. The Teachers in no way support bullying either. There are schools for basically shit heads which of course will have bullying problems but theses are a special case.


But alot of Japanophiles in this country think Japan is the great land of Milk and honey or Wasabi and Miso or something. Yet just because they have strict gun laws doesn't mean it's crime free. No, Japan isn't crime free by any means but compared to the US it's like a crime free zone. Shit like that Craigslist thing that happened the other days just wouldn't happen here. Yeah, there's petty crime and arse holes, god shites, twats, little shits or what ever you want to call them but they are clearly in the minority. I complain about shit all the time in Japan so I'm certainly no Japanophile but what I can't stand is people trying to make it worse than it actually is. 22 years living in the UK and I saw plenty of shit from old people getting mugged, pissed youths beating the shit out of passers by for no reason, a guy lying in a pool of blood (Probably dead), burned out cars and so on. No shooting though :nod: 10 years living in Japan and the worst I've come across is a prick putting a scratch down my missus old car. Needless to say he ended up with a mighty fat lip.

Now saying all that I do live in a smaller city than the likes of Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya etc however it's no smaller than Liverpool where I am from.

Yakumo

[GaijinPunch]

I also hear how common bullying is in Japanese schools and how teachers almost encorage it.

Bullying is pretty much Japan's biggest problem with youth that really needs addressing. The problem isn't that teacher's promote it, it's that they don't actively do anything to stop it. This is where Japan's stereotypical ability to mind their own business can be a problem. 　There was a recent case this year where a principal of a school was aware of a problem, did nothing, and of course, the kid offed himself. Many suicide amongst kids are results from bullying.

Google Results (http://www.google.co.jp/search?hl=ja&q=%E3%81%84%E3%81%98%E3%82%81%E5%95%8F%E9%A1%8C&btnG=Google+%E6%A4%9C%E7%B4%A2&lr=)


Yet just becuase they have strict gun laws doesn't mean it's crime free.

As stated, your chances of being the victim of violent crime here are really, really slim. I'm far more afraid of Earthquakes, and I walk down the darkest of dark alleys at all hours of the night, sometimes incoherent. My wife wants to go to the store at 2AM? I tell her to get me something. In the states... any of them, I have to go with her.

[Tatsujin]

the funny thing is, that japanese think themselve japan has a lot of crime. anytime when i'm hearing that, i have to L0L. "uh..dont' walk dpwn this street alone after 10pm" etc... rolf.
what i can say, japan has a lot of perverts of any kind. usually they're just as harmless as a fly. but some of them attack young ladies in night, hold them and grab somewhere around. altough the bodily harm is quite low, the trauma could be so much the higher.
generally, japanese doesn't know any kind of vandalism (yet). there are so many public infrastructures which would be a high target of vandalism in europe or US, but here nothing. something that i appreciate here the most.

[cez]

I never felt unsafe at night when I used to live in Tokyo and I don't feel any different now in Hiroshima even though the amount of crime reports has increased a bit or at least that's the impression I get.

And I still remember the quite large "Chikan ni chuui" ("Beware of perverts") signs they had in a residential area just outside of Tokyo. But that makes me laugh more than anything.

[GaijinPunch]

That's b/c Japanese are basing it their conception of safe... which is the Japan they've grown up in. If I have to describe the neighborhood I grew up in I would say it's a shit hole, and now crime ridden. Why? B/c you can't even leave your garage door up anymore w/o something getting stolen, and kids don't even walk to school anymore (as witnessed by my parents). Some people would look at it as average neighborhood though.

[handofg0d]

GP - Did you find it hard to get out of that unsafe mindset after leaving the States?


I moved from Baltimore, MD (in city limits alone murder rates that don't go over 300 a year is a good thing - and rare.) to a rural area in Pennsylvania where they don't even install deadbolts on the doors and it's been hard to get accustomed to feeling safe (even though some counties here haven't had a murder reported for something like 100 years).

Just as some background - from wikipedia:
According to crime statistics there were 269 homicides in Baltimore in 2005, giving it the highest homicide rate per 100,000 of all U.S. cities of 250,000 or more population. Though this is significantly lower than the record-high 353 homicides in 1993, the homicide rate in Baltimore is nearly seven times the national rate, six times the rate of New York City, and three times the rate of Los Angeles.

[GaijinPunch]

Yeah, Baltimore is a shit hole (sorry to dump on your home town). I lived in Austin for 3 years before moving to Tokyo, which is much safer than Dallas, where I grew up. I lived semi-close to campus, so I was kind of used to not looking over my shoulder all the time.

[AntiPasta]

Not that anybody cares, probably, but an experience of mine sprang to mind: last March I was given the opportunity to teach in Sudan for one month, and not only did my parents not like it, most of my friends made remarks along the lines of "remember not to get shot".

I found out Khartoum is about the safest place on earth! The place is almost devoid of Westerners, yet I often took walks at night both in the city center and the suburb where I lived (lot of unlit alleys), and the worst I got were begging children, but most of the time just friendly greetings.

Right after I got back I spent a few days in Grenoble (south-east France) and I noticed I was a heck of a lot more scared walking around on the streets at night...

[subbie]

Yeah, Baltimore is a shit hole (sorry to dump on your home town). I lived in Austin for 3 years before moving to Tokyo, which is much safer than Dallas, where I grew up. I lived semi-close to campus, so I was kind of used to not looking over my shoulder all the time.

Austin sucks (I got sent there for a week by work and hated everything but the food).


Anyways just to add to all this. I am originaly from southern california and had to deal alot with issues of gangs and crime in california (i've had gangs shooting at each other a few streets over form where I lived on multiple occasions).

Since I moved to montreal I have felt extreamly safe. Hell I have no problem walking down many crapy streets alone at 1-2 am after bar hopping with friends. It's insane now much safer it is up here. It's even funny i've walked down side streets at 10pm on my way home from work with coworkers and they complain I should not be walking down thoes streets at night. I laugh it off because it's extreamly safe and there is nobody even down the street.

[GaijinPunch]

Austin sucks (I got sent there for a week by work and hated everything but the food).

Yeah, live music every night, SXSW, filthy women from SFA University on the weekend, Barton Springs, The Rio Grande down the street on the 4th of July, Town Lake, Peace Park, Mexican Martinis from Trudy's, Good weed, liberal people, a high ranked (and cheap) University, low crime rate, free thinking people right in the middle of the most conservative police state, and as you stated, a restaurant culture that outshines most large cities... Yeah, sucks. Was rated like 2nd best city in the US by CNN a year or so ago. Yeah, I know it's not going to float everyone's boat, but it is like no other city in the states. Obviously you shouldn't rate something after only going a week. Sure, I've never been to Baltimore, but let's face it, there's only one place on the planet worth living that gets that fucking cold: New York City.


(i've had gangs shooting at each other a few streets over form where I lived on multiple occasions).

Violence is everywhere in America. A cop was killed one block over from my house when I was in High School. This was the white suburbs, FYI.

EDIT: Actually it was Detroit I was thinking about that always sticks out in my mind as a "shithole". Again, never been, but more than a few friends from there who have (surprise!) never gone back. For me though, it still comes down to the ball freezing cold. Not sure why I reacted to Baltimore so strongly (although I can't imagine it being such a nice getaway).

[Alien Workshop]

Violence is everywhere in America. A cop was killed one block over from my house when I was in High School. This was the white suburbs, FYI.

There really isn't that much violence where I'm at. There are only three or four instances that I can think of that would classify as 'violent' for the almost 12 years I've been here.

[GodofHardcore]

Violence is everywhere in America. A cop was killed one block over from my house when I was in High School. This was the white suburbs, FYI.


I live in a hick town and went to school with a bunch of Gangsta wannabes

The best line I ever heard going to high school was this idiot kid that liked to brag about a sex life he didn't have (none of the guys at my school got any but they all claimed they did)

Ok let me set this up he's talking about Rap music and I live in a Hick town ok ready

"Our parents can't relate to this shit like we can"

Oh really you live in a fucking hick town yeah Drive by shootings related to drug deals happen ALL the time here don't they.

All the wiggas are gone........replaced by EMOs.

Don't get me wrong I love me some Wu Tang but those guys were morons.

[GaijinPunch]

There really isn't that much violence where I'm at.

Where do you live? Obviously certain parts are worse than others. I always considered Austin a safe place... one of the safest major cities out there (mainly b/c everyone was always high). Still, it had it's bad days.

[Alien Workshop]

Where do you live? Obviously certain parts are worse than others. I always considered Austin a safe place... one of the safest major cities out there (mainly b/c everyone was always high). Still, it had it's bad days.

Oh, you're talking about violence in major cities... never mind then :lol: When you said violence is everywhere in America, I thought you actually meant EVERYWHERE.

[subbie]

Yeah, live music every night, SXSW, filthy women from SFA University on the weekend, Barton Springs, The Rio Grande down the street on the 4th of July, Town Lake, Peace Park, Mexican Martinis from Trudy's, Good weed, liberal people, a high ranked (and cheap) University, low crime rate, free thinking people right in the middle of the most conservative police state, and as you stated, a restaurant culture that outshines most large cities... Yeah, sucks. Was rated like 2nd best city in the US by CNN a year or so ago. Yeah, I know it's not going to float everyone's boat, but it is like no other city in the states. Obviously you shouldn't rate something after only going a week. Sure, I've never been to Baltimore, but let's face it, there's only one place on the planet worth living that gets that fucking cold: New York City.


I'm just not a fan of texas period. My mother is from ft-worth area and I spent some time there when I was younger and was just bored as hell. I was glad to finaly get back to california.

As for what you said, I live in montreal. Other then the lack of seriously good mexican food (I found a few acceptable places but still no carnitas), we have everything else you listed. Montreal is very liberal, there are tons of hot chicks up here, we have McGill & Concordia university, lots of good weed, good irish pubs, real beer, a night life that does not sleep till 3am (last call up here is 3am not 2am like in most states), In the summer the local theme park host a firework extravigansa featuring fireworks from around the world that is once a week and last 2-3 months (and you can see it near the old port, montreal is an island), Not too far from good moutains for skiing or snowboarding in the winter, blah blah blah. Oh yeah, Other then the seperatist thing, quebec is very liberal. :)

Oh as for safty, I believe a last year montrael was rated the safest major city in North America (only unsafe stuff recently was the crap at dawson's college, yet even after that canadian media was not jumping to blame movies, video games & music).

[GaijinPunch]

Oh, you're talking about violence in major cities... never mind then :lol: When you said violence is everywhere in America, I thought you actually meant EVERYWHERE.

Well, the cities were inferred. Obviously less densely populated areas have much less crime.


I'm just not a fan of texas period. My mother is from ft-worth area and I spent some time there when I was younger and was just bored as hell. I was glad to finaly get back to california.

I hate Texas. That, is the beauty of Austin. It's nothing like the surrounding wastelands or cities. I'm from Dallas, which I really don't like at all. The only thing there is my family and some friends left over so I go back regularly. I will admit that going out to bars isn't bad in Dallas in general. Everything else kind of sucks cock. I also hate driving, so yeah, Dallas = bad.


we have everything else you listed

I seriously doubt Montreal has the bar/live music scene Austin does. Then again, nowhere does. But, I can imagine it's probably pretty nice. It's Canada though... not exactly in the cards (for me, anyway). I wouldn't mind living closer to the slopes. There's half decent mountain about 80 minutes train ride from Tokyo. Not bad. You can actually go in the morning and be home by 18:00.


lack of seriously good mexican food

You won't find that anywhere. Most parts of the states have turd Mexican food, too. There's like 2 edible places in Tokyo.... out of a bazillion people.

[GodofHardcore]

If you want good hispanic food New England is where it's at besides Miami we have a HUGE hispanic population we have all types of hispanic food here even Pourtgeese and Cuban.

we also have a large Italian population so there are tons of those and our chinese resturants are some of the best in the country.

[Athrun Zala]

That's b/c Japanese are basing it their conception of safe... which is the Japan they've grown up in. If I have to describe the neighborhood I grew up in I would say it's a shit hole, and now crime ridden. Why? B/c you can't even leave your garage door up anymore w/o something getting stolen, and kids don't even walk to school anymore (as witnessed by my parents). Some people would look at it as average neighborhood though.I'd be one of those people....

[handofg0d]

I just read this story and it made me think of this thread. 4 teens in Japan were arrested for chopping off the finger of an 18 year old girl.

http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070609p2a00m0na009000c.html

Apparently it happened back in May - they locked her up in an apartment and basically tortured her (beating her, cutting her hair off, and of course, severing her finger). Why? Apparently she had been spreading rumors about them. :-(

Of course, I can think of tons of similar cases in countries all over the world... some people are just assholes.

[GaijinPunch]

If you want good hispanic food New England is where it's at besides Miami

We are talking about Mexican (or Tex Mex) food. Not hispanic. So, New England (or the East Coast in general) is most definitely not where it's at. Other places I can confirm are not where it's at are Tokyo, Honolulu, and from what I understand from colleagues that are from Texas but lived in Germany and Seoul, those places are equally as horrible.

[ccovell]

All the world loves sushi and not Mexican food. :-( It really is sad.

[GaijinPunch]

All the world loves sushi and not Mexican food. :-( It really is sad.

I took my mother-in-law & my sister-in-law to La Jolla in Hiro (a actually half decent 'cheap' Mexican food place) the day before my son was born. It was the mom's first time to eat Mexican food.

[subbie]

I took my mother-in-law & my sister-in-law to La Jolla in Hiro (a actually half decent 'cheap' Mexican food place) the day before my son was born. It was the mom's first time to eat Mexican food.

My gf is Chinese (main land) and she actualy loves the mexican food places I've taken her to here in montreal. As well loves real mexican salsa (thats actualy 1 good thing i found, I found a mayan owned place that makes home made salsa and chips. Really good stuff).

--edit--

Forgot to mention. I think if more asian people were exposed to mexican food they would often like it.

[GodofHardcore]

We are talking about Mexican (or Tex Mex) food. Not hispanic. So, New England (or the East Coast in general) is most definitely not where it's at. Other places I can confirm are not where it's at are Tokyo, Honolulu, and from what I understand from colleagues that are from Texas but lived in Germany and Seoul, those places are equally as horrible.

Actually I know of a good mexican place in Cranston RI.

[GaijinPunch]

Actually I know of a good mexican place in Cranston RI.

I'm sure there are places all over the world considered good by most people. Places considered good by "folks" from Texas & Cali, is another story entirely.

[GodofHardcore]

Guess you'll have to give it a go eh?

How did we go from talking about youth Violence to where you can get some good Tamales?

[Taucias]

Yeah, Baltimore is a shit hole (sorry to dump on your home town). I lived in Austin for 3 years before moving to Tokyo, which is much safer than Dallas, where I grew up. I lived semi-close to campus, so I was kind of used to not looking over my shoulder all the time.

Baltimore is alright to visit. I stayed there one night during the week and the harbour has been fixed up rather nicely. Great seafood and not bad prices either. I can imagine it gets a bit hairy around the weekends, but I really enjoyed it.

I've never been to Austin but I definitely will now. You make some bold claims.

[GaijinPunch]

I've never been to Austin but I definitely will now. You make some bold claims.

Go when it's warm... hot even. Barton Springs is the bomb diggety. That water is so fucking cold. It's actually 78 degrees, but that's really cold for water when it's like 102 outside. So much fun stuff to do.

South by Southwest is a cool event if you like live music, and of course, Ior's birthday in Peace Park (in March, I believe, but can't remember). And also eat at the Magnolia Cafe at least once. Man... I wanna pull my pants down just thinking about it.

[ServiceGames]

Baltimore is alright to visit. I stayed there one night during the week and the harbour has been fixed up rather nicely.

That's just it though. It's like the way Camden Nj is great right on the water front, but if you stray a couple blocks in the wrong direction it's a cesspool. They put a lot of work into the harbor inorder to draw tourism and have a great new face, but underneath it's a lot different.

[handofg0d]

That's just it though. It's like the way Camden Nj is great right on the water front, but if you stray a couple blocks in the wrong direction it's a cesspool. They put a lot of work into the harbor inorder to draw tourism and have a great new face, but underneath it's a lot different.


Very true. You can turn a corner and be in a whole different world in downtown Baltimore. It does have a fair amount of decent attactions and things to do. It's great during the day in most areas (some are so bad it doesn't matter what time it is.) At the same time though - there's a great night life there - if you can brave parking your car in the most shadiest of lots. I'll never understand the people who pay over a million dollars for an apartment in the Fells Point area (adjacent to the harbor) when maybe 3 blocks away is some of the worst drug areas in the city (not to mention all of the junkies that float around Fells Point begging for change... or more likely harrassing for cash.)

[Yakumo]

New crazy shit going down in the city next to mine. This week a 17 year old girl called a 30 year old man to meet for sex. I don't know what the relation was between these two. Anyway, the girl from Shimonoseki (where I live) and 7 teenaged boys from Yamaguchi City met this 30 year old guy in Mojiko Retro (place for couples, quite nice as well) beat the shit out of him then pushed him in to the sea. The guy drowned. The motive for the attack? To steel the 30 year old's cash. Fucking mad ! The teenagers are all now imprisoned and so they should be. Fucking Scum.

Yakumo

[GaijinPunch]

<delete's all 17 year old's numbers' out of phone>

[ServiceGames]

That's a hell of a crappy split. Rob a guy and split the contents of his wallet between 7 people.

Obviously it couldn't have been about money as much as it was just a group of deranged boys and a mob riot kind of affect. Pretty damned sick though, they could have at least given him the courtesy of letting him sleep with the girl before they killed him.

[GaijinPunch]

That's a hell of a crappy split.

Japanese are well known for carrying around far too much cash.

[sayin999]

Wow that's a crazy ass story. Where I live it's mixed. It really just depends on what area you live in San Diego.

[MysticParadise]

and of course, Ior's birthday in Peace Park (in March, I believe, but can't remember.

Ior,!!! the donkey in the Winney the Pooh cartoons!?

[subbie]

Go when it's warm... hot even. Barton Springs is the bomb diggety. That water is so fucking cold. It's actually 78 degrees, but that's really cold for water when it's like 102 outside. So much fun stuff to do.

South by Southwest is a cool event if you like live music, and of course, Ior's birthday in Peace Park (in March, I believe, but can't remember). And also eat at the Magnolia Cafe at least once. Man... I wanna pull my pants down just thinking about it.

Do you remember the name of the beef restaurant thats next to a lake. I remember it being something about pig (piggly wiggly?).

Other then mexican food that place seem nice the one time i went.

-- edit --
I'm refering to in austin.

[GaijinPunch]

Ior,!!! the donkey in the Winney the Pooh cartoons!?

Yes. Some hippies made it up some many years ago.
http://eeyores.sexton.com/
Check out the pictures.


Do you remember the name of the beef restaurant thats next to a lake. I remember it being something about pig (piggly wiggly?).

As I don't eat meat other than fish, and stopped about while I was living there, I'm probably not the best person to ask. Great town for restaurants though (small, homey ones), although the city in which I currently live might be the best in the world.

[Taucias]

A horrible story, but 30 year old guys shouldn't be trying to pick up 17 year olds IMO. I'm not trying to excuse the murder, disgusting, but that is my opinion.

[Jamtex]

17 year old women were over the age of consent the last time I checked. I've dated 20 year olds despite being 12 years older. ;)

[GaijinPunch]

17 year old women were over the age of consent the last time I checked. I've dated 20 year olds despite being 12 years older. ;)

That's kind of the perk of living here. I've got a dog of a friend that's probably 38 now, and he's always trying to bone 19-24 year olds. Succeeds too! His mobile phone photo gallery is more graphic than most internet sites.

[Taucias]

17 year old women were over the age of consent the last time I checked. I've dated 20 year olds despite being 12 years older. ;)

20 years old is different to 17 years old. 17 years old, just out of high school. 20 years old, just out of college. Yeah, 17 might be legal, but morally I don't think it is right.

[GaijinPunch]

Not in Japan. All women are mentally 17 years old until they're about 48.

[Nipponese Gigolo]

Where I grewed up and near where I live people would bad mouth the living daylights out of the area.

I mean you go outside looking like a million bucks duh you are going to hit up for cash at least once. Personally I have seen things that would send alot of people crying home and while they were bad in terms of people that is not me I still would rather live there if I could find a house or apartment where I can jump around all and laugh all day long ( like right now the people below me keeps banging each time I have the music on high so I have to put the music on early during night to not hear them bang at all and they start smoking weed or something ) .

Personally love has no bounds and people kicking the tar out of a guy thinking he is going to get some for free is quite funny.

About europe and the no fight back rule that has been around since forever I remember hearing about people getting attacked for no reason and a guy was in the hospital just for going to the grocery.

Personally the world would be much better if we all could go back to the 90's. While you people might think the violence is wrong without high amounts of violence people would start going after the lesser offenders.

[Calpis]

If you want good hispanic food New England is where it's at besides Miami we have a HUGE hispanic population we have all types of hispanic food here even Pourtgeese and Cuban.

we also have a large Italian population so there are tons of those and our chinese resturants are some of the best in the country.

This is a bit offtopic but as a Californian living in New England, who has gone through great lengths to search out good food here (in MA, CT, RI), I can attest that New England is ass for *ALL* food but Italian. There are some exceptions but the vast majority of ethnic food here is horrible. The Mexican and Japanese food here is the worst I've ever had as well as the most expensive. Chinese food here is also a joke but I've had far worse in the Midwest. Until moving here I had never heard of General TSO's chicken and had never actually seen chop suey on a menu. I had also never eaten at a Chinese restaurant that wasn't fastfood where they didn't offer chopsticks.
Don't think I'm eating at dumps either, I've been to numerous "best of Boston" where we're talking $10+ for a roll of sushi with a pretentious atmosphere, to find it's prepared by "Kung and Ting-san" who are certified Itamaes and have certificates from New York Chinatown to prove it. And the Mexican food, christ, I've had better from a food truck at a flea market for nearly a 10th the price. College towns are New England's saving grace where there is the slight possibility of reasonable quality.

[Taucias]

It all depends on the town/area you live in, I suppose. Everyone finds something to shout about, else they'd move.

[handofg0d]

His mobile phone photo gallery is more graphic than most internet sites.

Hah, that's probably because mobile phones don't pixelate the good stuff automatically (...yet - I'm sure there will be body part autorecognition coming soon.)