洞院リナ ([info]pawteegal) wrote,
@ 2008-06-08 11:45:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Current mood: contemplative

Japan no longer safe?
The saying of how the world we live in is no longer as innocent as it used to be really isn't just some catch phrase anymore. We had the knifing epidemics in UK, now even Japan is not immune to the age of growing violence.

I strongly feel many reactive people / government is going about it wrong curbing violence by focusing on the means, but not the root of the violence. There will always be the means, unless the need is extinguished. Asking the question of Why, instead of What.

Stabbing rampage in Tokyo. killing 7, wounding 12


(Post a new comment)


[info]kytrax
2008-06-09 01:25 pm UTC (link)
Japan has a history of violent and often bizarre crime. Then there's the skirt chasers, rapists and harassers who never get reported. There's the indifference of the general public, cause they think if they ignore it, it'll be ok. Especially now. People completely ignore you if you look ill. A few years ago they would at least ask if you were ok.

There is tons of gang violence, since the yakuza has done a pretty good job of infiltrating the government and business. You almost can't distinguish legit from yakuza now.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

[info]pawteegal
2008-06-09 06:46 pm UTC (link)
Yeah, I seriously wonder if it really a product the repression. I've had a middle age man chasing me down the street, and grabbing me by the arm trying to drag me into a love motel before. (For those who are skeptical. Seriously, Im not exaggerating it at all.) The usual harassment goes on practically on a daily basis, myself and I'm sure everyone else who lives there pretty much accepts and it and deal with it by ignoring.

That's also a very good point that you've made. yakuza these days is from is pretty much seamlessly bonded to the government, and many business. Because of which, much of the massive gang violence is heavily covered up. I'm some what shocked that most western eyes haven't paid much attention to the operation as a whole. From shady business dealings, to random search and seizure is a normality. At the same time, being outsiders. We really don't have much of a say in the matter.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

[info]lifeisforliving
2008-06-09 09:18 pm UTC (link)
Wow, I didn't realise the stabbings going on here has made international news! It's actually mostly in London, and I have to say in comparison to the gun crime in the US, it's still better. And you're right, the governments and agencies don't really invest the programmes that perhaps help prevent these sort of things in a long run, instead just using band-aid type short term approaches to win votes and show that they're doing something.

You were mentioning yakuza and other unreported crimes in your other comments. There was a English girl who worked as a hostess was killed by someone from some shady background a few years ago, and they suspect he also killed another other western girl as well, but don't think he was convicted of both crimes. Also another English girl that was teaching English was killed and dumped in a bathtub of sand by a boy supposedly meeting her for lessons; he is still not found. We only hear about these stories because they were westerners, it is scary to think how many similar cases happened unreported or covered up.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

[info]pawteegal
2008-06-09 10:12 pm UTC (link)
Oh yea. Seems like poking people with pointy sharp objects is now an international fad.
But in all seriousness. violence is violence. And I feel the push for banning kitchen knives has gotten pretty silly. And it's pretty clear the direct banning doesnt stop the fact that people are angry. Even for UK, where firearm is completely banned, they some how end up with a 55% increase in gun crimes in the last 10yrs.
There really isn't a magic solution to violence, and we have the same problem here as well. Where there's a will there's always a way, beside if you're a criminal, about to butcher someone. since well, hurting/killing someone is already illegal, why would a bad guy care he's not allow to use a knife. take the knife away, and he'll find something else.. ice pick, broken bottle.. I have a friend who jokingly said, lets ban hands. Since all crimes requires hands to commit. :P

Here in america, we sort of shot ourselves in the foot (pun intended), we have a revolving door legal and prison system that practically invites people to commit a crime. People here commit crimes just so that they'll be taken care of by the system. so it's good incentive for those who are desperate to use the system and stay in it. In a more in a more tinfoil hat perspective. Crime has turned into more of a business here , much like pharmaceuticals. Law enforcement is not interested in completely eliminating crime. It's multibillion dollar industry to "keep you safe". If they'd succeed in eliminating crime, they'd be out of a job. At the end of the day, we're back to money and economics.

But either way, I really hope the public wakes up and realize the current logic flaws. First by making the consequences great for committing a crime, get rid of perks that keeps people coming in for more. Secondly prevention by addressing the root cause, not the means of the crime. (gah, I sound like some politician now.)

And yea, I have heard a few of those stories in the past about girls getting killed like that. I always wonder much of if it is urban legend , since you'd never hear about it in the news. Those are stories passed around at dinner tables going out with friends.. Spooky.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

[info]pure_terrorist
2008-06-12 07:51 am UTC (link)
I heard about this too. I agree with you on how they're dealing with it. Instead of getting to the base of it, they're going to ban the kind of knife he stabbed people with. Wow, good game.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

[info]pawteegal
2008-06-12 08:05 am UTC (link)
Now I want to know, how come they're not banning 2 ton trucks too?

:P

(Reply to this)(Parent)

Create an Account
Forgot your login?
Login w/ OpenID
English • Español • Deutsch • Русский…