Bobby, as it appears that you are unable to see why people take issue with and post things opposing you... I will explain it as clearly as possible.

Everyone knows that there is less crime in Japan. Everyone is aware that there was less looting after the earthquake than seems to be the norm elsewhere.
But you do not say less, you say no. There is a huge difference.

I agree that Japan has less crime, but that doesn't mean that the country has absolutely no crime. It doesn't mean that the country has a perfect society. It just means that for various reasons - cultural, social, economical - there is less crime. I consider it a positive thing, but there is no way anyone could use that information to convince me that Japan is a perfect country that is superior to every other in every way.

However, that is pretty much what you are saying.

There was relatively little looting after the earthquake and tsunami. Great. But that doesn't mean there was NO looting and no crime. It doesn't mean that there are no bad people in Japan who would take advantage of others and their suffering.

Nothing is black and white. There is no all good or all bad country or culture. I live in Japan because I prefer the country, but that doesn't mean that I believe it to be a happy heaven of peace and prosperity.

I never said there is no crime and no looting.

But I do not compare things with each other, which couldn't be any further apart. CAUSE THATS WHAT YOU PEOPLE ARE DOING HERE EVERY SINGLE TME!!

If you would know what happened after Katrina struck and what happens every single day in our World..

and then come up with posting something like this what JohnBraden posted which was two sentences long, or a Riot which happened 30 years ago, then this is a joke and immensly disrespectful to the Japanese people.

I do not compare apples with oranges either!

I value things up first and what I see is that Japan must be superior and that there people must be very different, because of the things like this and what I see every day, day in and day out in our World.

But in your eyes we are all the same.. yea well, we are not as you CAN SEE!!


All I am asking for is that you accept this huge difference and that you appreciate their culture for what it is! A World with almost no crime and almost no people killing each other every single day!!


Just accept that their society stands for something better and don't refuse to see the obvious all the time!!

Well technically some things are black and white,like some rare people are very definitely bad and some rare people are very definitely good,but that's going off topic,I agree about the rest and I know what you mean about the culture thing. A lot of countries get gender and race wrong.

Traffic rules are nice. They outline how everybody reacts in any situation, so that everybody will know how the others behave even from a distance. It's better for everybody to behave within set expectations all the time, also when alone just in case somebody you don't see yet is relying on you to be predictable and feel safe. When somebody reacts differently and unexpectedly, there will be bad things, like loud noises and then somebody's suddenly gone.

Now, did everyone get the creepies from that (and why, do you disagree?)?

It's a nice dream - for traffic. But I feel the idea has been imported to Japanese society, and that sucks. It has questionable benefits and no place in societies, just like corporate capitalism has absolutely no place doing societal economics.

And yes, I also detest jumping to straws. I read about a hundred scientists studying global warming (not a troll, do NOT grab it!) and agreeing on a set of data. When one scientist does not, the newspapers scream "IT WAS ALL A LIE!". Err, no. The one case does not negate hundred others that showed the opposite.

I can accept that Japanese culture is very different to that of most western countries but I do not accept that it is better. From a western perspective I think there's a lot about Japanese culture that we could learn from but I also think there's a lot the Japanese could learn from western culture. I had dinner last Saturday night with 3 Japanese friends. All 3 have decided to live in Australia and all 3 do not wish to return to live in Japan. One already has permanent residency here. They much prefer life here in Australia to life in Japan. And I prefer life in Japan to life here in Australia!

Whether one culture or society is 'better' than another is purely a personal, subjective thing. It is not some sort of absolute like you are trying to make it out to be.

We all know that you have an irrational love of everything Japan. No need to continually harp on about it.

I am reading a very interesting book "Embracing Defeat" by John Dower.

It is about the aftermath of the Pacific War and Japan in particular.

It is very detailed. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the emergence of Japan folowing the surrender.


I have been shocked by the way the women suffered. The blackmarket in goods-- so many japanese were starving after the war and forced to play blackmarket prices in efforts to survive----- many children living on the streets-- with nobody caring about them, Ueno Station seemed to be a place where they hung out. Seeing photos of children wearing a box with the ashes of their parents hanging round their necks.

I doubt many ENglish people are remotely aware of the suffering in Japan. I certainly was not.

So few are aware of the firebombing---------. Yes there was looting beca\use how else to survive?


It seems that when soldiers did return they often were shunned once the civilan population learned about the atrocities many had committed.

Did they still have shellshock? Did they have the same problems like my Granddad had?

get the book and find out.

The firebombing campaign was horrendous, it accounted for more death and destruction that both Nagisaki and Horishima combined. 100,000 were killed in Tokyo in one night. The firestorm was so intense the wind comeing out of the city caused such turbolence that it actually knocked one of the American bombers out of the sky.

looting