[Sangetsu]

Wow, what a story. Did you make an report to the police department about the mugging? What part of Tokyo did it occur in? Such a thing is so uncommon that if it were to happen, it would certainly made the news, though I've certainly not heard or read anything about any western tourists being mugged recently.

Yes, racism exists in Japan, but as MMM states, it is generally directed to people of other Asian ethnic groups, and not westerners. The only thing which I have experience which remotely relates to racism is being treated with a little less politeness by certain shopkeepers than a Japanese would receive. On the other hand, these shopkeepers were still more polite than the majority of those I dealt with in America on a daily basis.

Of all the cities I have visited in the world (which is quite a few), Tokyo is by far the safest and most polite. Being an American from Detroit, you should visit Paris next, and then tell us how it compares to Tokyo. I would be surprised if you make it back alive.