The following is from a regular column by Mayumi Tanimoto that appeared at the beginning of the monthly magazine WiLL, which was released on September 26th.
It is a must-read for not only Japanese citizens but people worldwide.
Western countries have become "crime havens."
From the Japanese media, we hear opinions that Japan is finished and that Japan is on the decline.
While images of inbound tourists flooding into Japan are shown, many people claim that foreigners are rich and that Japanese people have become very poor.
They are not objectively evaluating Japan's true strength.
Japan is the safest country among developed countries.
What does it mean to have good public safety?
This means that the government effectively governs the country, it is a country of law, and the people are highly civilized.
So, what does it mean to be highly civilized?
It means that the level of education is high and that many people with good "reasoning" skills think about their surroundings and other people.
Japan's overall economic level is high, and the gap between rich and poor is not extreme.
The motivation to commit a crime is limited.
When a society is prosperous, there are plenty of jobs.
In addition to not worrying about making a living, there is also relief through welfare.
The profit gained from crime is minor.
Because the morals of the citizens are high, there is minor corruption or injustice.
Japan is one of the countries with the most minor corruption globally.
It is also highly transparent.
Compared to other developed countries, the amount of corruption politicians commit is quite tiny.
There is no need to introduce examples from developing countries or autocratic countries.
Many people were surprised by Carlos Ghosn's misdeeds, but that was just the beginning.
According to the 2023 White Paper on Crime, the number of recognized criminal cases is about 600,000 annually.
This number is decreasing due to the aging population.
Japan also has a low rate of violent crime.
The number of murders per 100,000 people is one of the lowest in the world.
The United States is 29 times higher than Japan, the United Kingdom is five times higher, and even Germany, which has a safe image, is 3.6 times higher. France is four times higher, and Italy is two times higher.
In Japan, theft accounts for around 70% of all crimes.
Bicycle theft accounts for 31.6% of all crimes, and shoplifting accounts for 20.5%.
In other countries, these would be classed as "minor crimes" that would not be dealt with under criminal law.
In Japan, 23.1% of all criminals arrested are aged 65 or over.
Around 14% of prisoners are elderly, and in some prisons, this figure exceeds 20%.
According to a report by the British Parliament, in the UK, prisoners aged 60 and over account for only 6%.
In Japan, as the population ages, the number of crimes is decreasing so much that there are even empty places in prisons.
The capacity of Japanese prisons is just over 85,000, but the occupancy rate has continued to fall for the past 20 years.
In 2022, the rate was 48.5%, with around 40,000 people incarcerated.
On the other hand, the situation in the rest of the world is the complete opposite.
According to the "Global Prison Trends" report, the number of prisoners worldwide increased by 20% between 2002 and 2018.
In 124 countries, the number of prisoners exceeds the maximum capacity.
The worst situation is in developing countries such as Haiti and the Philippines, where there are more than four times as many prisoners as there are places to hold them.
The conditions are poor, and escapes and riots are not uncommon.
In the UK, there are so many criminals that there are not enough places in prisons, so the Labour government has started releasing prisoners early.
In some cases, the prison occupancy rate exceeded 100% with around 85,000 prisoners, so in September 2024, 1,700 prisoners were released before the end of their sentences.
By October, 5,500 people are scheduled to be released.
Those who have committed serious crimes and are serving a sentence of four years or more, as well as sex offenders, are not eligible.
However, some prisoners have been released early despite having committed severe sex crimes or murder.
It is rightly being criticized.
The Labour Party's support rate is continuing to fall.
On the other hand, there have been cases of people who were arrested for attacking police officers, setting fire to police vehicles, or throwing bricks through windows during the riots that took place this summer and were sentenced to prison within a few days.
People are debating whether it is right to imprison people who have only broken windows when prisoners who have committed serious crimes such as murder or attempted murder are being released early.
It is a controversial issue in the UK.
In Western liberal democracies, the most critical function of government is to provide security and public order.
Even in the "night watchman state" model, where the state's role is kept to a minimum, it is considered a "service" that the government must at least provide.
However, as the UK typifies, the West is unable to do this.
Countries in North America and Europe look down on Japan and repeatedly say that Japan is intolerant of diversity.
These countries are unable to even keep criminals in prison and are releasing people who have committed murder and rape back into society.
What they should be learning from Japan is the low crime rate and low number of violent crimes.
Which society is more secure for the citizens, the Western countries or Japan?
It is obvious.
It is a must-read for not only Japanese citizens but people worldwide.
Western countries have become "crime havens."
From the Japanese media, we hear opinions that Japan is finished and that Japan is on the decline.
While images of inbound tourists flooding into Japan are shown, many people claim that foreigners are rich and that Japanese people have become very poor.
They are not objectively evaluating Japan's true strength.
Japan is the safest country among developed countries.
What does it mean to have good public safety?
This means that the government effectively governs the country, it is a country of law, and the people are highly civilized.
So, what does it mean to be highly civilized?
It means that the level of education is high and that many people with good "reasoning" skills think about their surroundings and other people.
Japan's overall economic level is high, and the gap between rich and poor is not extreme.
The motivation to commit a crime is limited.
When a society is prosperous, there are plenty of jobs.
In addition to not worrying about making a living, there is also relief through welfare.
The profit gained from crime is minor.
Because the morals of the citizens are high, there is minor corruption or injustice.
Japan is one of the countries with the most minor corruption globally.
It is also highly transparent.
Compared to other developed countries, the amount of corruption politicians commit is quite tiny.
There is no need to introduce examples from developing countries or autocratic countries.
Many people were surprised by Carlos Ghosn's misdeeds, but that was just the beginning.
According to the 2023 White Paper on Crime, the number of recognized criminal cases is about 600,000 annually.
This number is decreasing due to the aging population.
Japan also has a low rate of violent crime.
The number of murders per 100,000 people is one of the lowest in the world.
The United States is 29 times higher than Japan, the United Kingdom is five times higher, and even Germany, which has a safe image, is 3.6 times higher. France is four times higher, and Italy is two times higher.
In Japan, theft accounts for around 70% of all crimes.
Bicycle theft accounts for 31.6% of all crimes, and shoplifting accounts for 20.5%.
In other countries, these would be classed as "minor crimes" that would not be dealt with under criminal law.
In Japan, 23.1% of all criminals arrested are aged 65 or over.
Around 14% of prisoners are elderly, and in some prisons, this figure exceeds 20%.
According to a report by the British Parliament, in the UK, prisoners aged 60 and over account for only 6%.
In Japan, as the population ages, the number of crimes is decreasing so much that there are even empty places in prisons.
The capacity of Japanese prisons is just over 85,000, but the occupancy rate has continued to fall for the past 20 years.
In 2022, the rate was 48.5%, with around 40,000 people incarcerated.
On the other hand, the situation in the rest of the world is the complete opposite.
According to the "Global Prison Trends" report, the number of prisoners worldwide increased by 20% between 2002 and 2018.
In 124 countries, the number of prisoners exceeds the maximum capacity.
The worst situation is in developing countries such as Haiti and the Philippines, where there are more than four times as many prisoners as there are places to hold them.
The conditions are poor, and escapes and riots are not uncommon.
In the UK, there are so many criminals that there are not enough places in prisons, so the Labour government has started releasing prisoners early.
In some cases, the prison occupancy rate exceeded 100% with around 85,000 prisoners, so in September 2024, 1,700 prisoners were released before the end of their sentences.
By October, 5,500 people are scheduled to be released.
Those who have committed serious crimes and are serving a sentence of four years or more, as well as sex offenders, are not eligible.
However, some prisoners have been released early despite having committed severe sex crimes or murder.
It is rightly being criticized.
The Labour Party's support rate is continuing to fall.
On the other hand, there have been cases of people who were arrested for attacking police officers, setting fire to police vehicles, or throwing bricks through windows during the riots that took place this summer and were sentenced to prison within a few days.
People are debating whether it is right to imprison people who have only broken windows when prisoners who have committed serious crimes such as murder or attempted murder are being released early.
It is a controversial issue in the UK.
In Western liberal democracies, the most critical function of government is to provide security and public order.
Even in the "night watchman state" model, where the state's role is kept to a minimum, it is considered a "service" that the government must at least provide.
However, as the UK typifies, the West is unable to do this.
Countries in North America and Europe look down on Japan and repeatedly say that Japan is intolerant of diversity.
These countries are unable to even keep criminals in prison and are releasing people who have committed murder and rape back into society.
What they should be learning from Japan is the low crime rate and low number of violent crimes.
Which society is more secure for the citizens, the Western countries or Japan?
It is obvious.
2024/9/26 in Umeda, Osaka
