looting :Japan VS US

reply to post by WideAwakeNow


In their culture, respect is given.....ours, respect is earned.

reply to post by 46ACE


Live free or die state righ here. I'm all set. Got my food, supplies, protection, wood, fire, water. I'm good.

Another thing I find very interesting is that the supermarkets have lowered their prices and vending machine owners are opening up their machines and giving away drinks. In the US, the owners would be doubling or tripling the price as we have seen after katrina and other huricanes. Kudos to the Japanese on the right way to act after a disaster.

Originally posted by Ratisch
Another thing I find very interesting is that the supermarkets have lowered their prices and vending machine owners are opening up their machines and giving away drinks. In the US, the owners would be doubling or tripling the price as we have seen after katrina and other huricanes. Kudos to the Japanese on the right way to act after a disaster.

That's true? Very moving.

One possible contributing factor is Americans indulge in larger quantities of food than the Japanese. To suddenly be thrust into starvation mode, would turn anybody into a savage. Extreme starvation is physically and emotionally shocking, inducing emotional instability. Most people who just started a new diet, find it very hard to stick to the new reduced portions, they say they are starving. Its my observation that people who usually eat lots, show little patience in waiting for food. When food is finally put in front of them, they attack like swooping vultures.
Persons accustomed to eating less would be the less likely to suffer when food is scarce.
Starvation is a great motivator to steal.

As an American living in Japan I can assure you that the stories of no looting and of stores opening up and giving food away are absolutely true. I was here during the major earthquake in Kobe in 1995, and that is exactly what happened. Zero looting. Our neighborhood store started handing out the water, tea, sports drinks, etc. that they had in stock when the water supplies stopped. And no one tried to hog it. We all shared with each other among the neighborhood. I was lucky enough to be able later in the day to go to my in-laws, which hadn't been hit as hard. The next day I went back in by train to get some more clothes, and that is when I saw something I will never forget and something which always brings tears to my eyes. When I got to the train station, the wait to board was over 2 hours, not because the trains weren't running (they were running about every 10 minutes) but because the station was filled with ordinary people with backpacks and carts full of instant noodles, bottled water, fuel, blankets, etc. that they were bringing to the affected area in Kobe. I talked with some of them, and it wasn't that they were bringing it to friends or relatives. Many didn't know anyone in Kobe. It was just that they felt they HAD to help. So they waited 2 hours or so to get on a train that was quickly packed with people to ride about 45 minute to an hour to the end of the usable train line, and then they got off the train, shouldered their packs, and walked another 2 or 3 hours to get to the center of Kobe. I am sure many of you cannot believe that, but I can assure you it is entirely true. The Japanese government was slow to get started on aid, but the Japanese people stepped right up and filled in. The company I worked for also organized groups to bring in food and water, first to their company apartments, and then to other areas. And it wasn't some publicity stunt. Every single company in that region and surrounding regions were doing it, and no list was published because everyone knew that EVERYONE would be on it.
Nationalism? No, I don't think so. I received the same care as everyone, as did foreigners in even worse-hit areas that I talked with later. It was more a shared humanity, a sense of we're all in this together.
And it should also be pointed out that when disaster strikes, Japan quickly responds with whatever aid it can give. This is particularly apparent when the disaster is an earthquake, with which they have much experience. They quickly went to Haiti to help there, and in fact their special disaster squad had just returned from New Zealand a day or two before the quake this time.
Some here will probably feel that I am a Japanese apologist. I am not. I know what they did during WW2, a close friend of my grandparents was a POW here and I've read his diary of events. I argue often with my Japanese wife about responsibility for actions in WW2, and about Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Nanking.
But the current average Japanese is much different. It really becomes clear when disaster strikes.

If you don't believe me, fine. You're just too cynical to believe in the inherent goodness of man.

reply to post by reluctantpawn


S&F
It must be a sense of community fostered in the young.
People stealing from others are effectively stealing from themselves, their community, their people. We are not so close to each other. Maybe...?

reply to post by reluctantpawn


You cant use Katrina as the basis for how Americans respond to disasters. There was a huge flood in Nashville in fact theres still areas dealing with the aftermath. And there was only a handful of incidents reported some of them were not even looting. As a whole Nashville's came together supported one another and made the best of a bad situation. My advice to you is if you don't believe that would happen where you live i suggest moving.

reply to post by 3warped3


I've heard about this before...this kind of story is truly moving.....benevolent E.T. out there would just establish their base and begin disclosure right there and then
Fact is we were like them once (minus racial discrimination)......but we've changed.....for better or worse depend on your perspective. Personally, I have an American mind and an Asian heart.

reply to post by the_0bserver85


I think many Americans are still like that, particularly in the small towns (I know it is still like that in my hometown in New England). My own feeling is that the media tends toward making us fearful, cynical, and selfish. I have started to feel that when I've been back in the US on vacation. Then I return to Japan, and return to normal.

The storms and blizzards this year in the US did indeed prove that Katrina was the exception.

Please pray for the people in the affected areas. With the reactors, it seems like it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Originally posted by reluctantpawn
I find it interesting to see theat there is little or no looting that appears to be going on in Japan, even after the most devastating disaster to hit the country. If this were the US I am sure it would be different. All we have to do is look at the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, and the pics and vids of the looting that went on there.

What is the difference between here and there? In my opinion it might be the work ethic of Japan VS the entitlement mentality of the people of the US. The people of Japan cannot comprehend taking something that is not theirs even in an emergency situation. On the other hand the people of the US feel that they are entitled to help themselves to anything that is not bolted down, particularly in the urban environment.

However, one thing I have noticed that is comparable to both countries is the lack of preparedness of the people.

Does anyone else here have any other idea on these differences?

respectfully

rreluctantpawn

See the main reason why there is no looting in Japan right now is there is a large Military and Police presence, Japan's first responders are second to none with regards to taking care of disasters they are very well versed and so are a majority of the population in Japan, they routinely hold public evacuation drills for Tsunami's, etc. When there is no presence of force or law then you will have looting and if it wasn't for the Japenese Armed Forces and Police there would be widespread looting. As somebody already stated before me there are no rules to survival, just survive and if somebody is desperate enough they are capable of doing just about anything however drastic it may seem. If things keep getting worse with the nuclear stuff and lack of food and water and gasoline then you'll start hearing about looting. Plus another thing helping the Japanese Government out is I think firearms are strictly prohibited throughout Japan so that makes the population that much easier to control from the Governments standpoint.

reply to post by Aliensdoexist

Sorry, no. Completely wrong. You've clearly never been to Japan, or at least never outside the main tourist haunts.

The lack of looting is not due to a massive police/military presence. After the Kobe quake that I referred to earlier, the police/military were very late to the scene. But even in the main shopping areas, there was virtually no looting.

Also, even when the military are there, they are digging out, not guarding. Military and particularly police here are much more lightly armed than in the US. But there is basically peer pressure for no looting, no cutting in line, no hogging supplies. Belonging to a group and working with that group (family, neighborhood, town, ...) is extremely important here. For the average person, acting against the group doesn't even enter their mind.

I know it's extremely difficult to believe that people continue to be polite and helpful toward others even at times like these. But I've experienced it. And it rubs off too. I find myself being more helpful toward strangers here too.

reply to post by 3warped3


Well said not all of America is self absorbed and greedy! When there was flooding in Fargo, North Dakota the government declared the town a loss, but the people of the town banded together and saved the city. Just as the Japanese people are doing.

It also helps that they are one race of people... the WHOLE country. In Japan the culture has been a staple, and has also been around for a very long time.

I know in my neighborhood, people would not loot.

My impression is that Japan would suppress the news of any looting but I've read a few articles which have mentioned some looting, already. I think New Orleans was a mess, regardless.

I doubt there would much difference in the rate of looting in these coastal cities with Brisbane Australia, except any case of looting in Australia will always make front page news. I understand how conformity is important in Japan, but they have numerous crime gangs etc. There's some seriously messed up people over there. It's all hidden. That's the main difference. There are many cities in America that know how to act civilised...

I found the Japanese people to be very polite, kind and gracious. Everywhere you went in Japan people would acknowledge your presence when entering into an establishment, be it a restaurant or a store. The hosts we had were very generous and always looked out for our interests. After staying there for a few weeks, you got really used to that level of politeness. Coming back from Japan and going thru customs in Atlanta was a culture shock, and I knew I was home again real soon! The customs people were rude to these little old Japanese ladies, and I had to say something to them. The ladies didn't know the right line to get into, and didn't speak much English. I was infuriated that these customs people were rude to them.

Anyway, to get back on topic, I noticed that in one of the videos that was shown over and over again, it was in a supermarket, and the Japanese people that worked there were trying to keep the products from falling off the shelves DURING the quake! I think you'd only see this in Japan. And, yeah, I don't think you'd see as many looters as you would here. Unfortunately, the "everyone out for themselves" doesn't work too well in a crisis.

reply to post by squandered


Having actually been in the middle of such an event here and talked with many other people present in different areas during the event, I would be interested in seeing the articles you mention.

Yes, there is some suppression of normal crime news, as well as overemphasis of crimes by foreigners in average daily life.

But I stand by my statement that there is virtually no looting by Japanese during a disaster such as what occurred last Friday. On the other hand, store owners are also much more generous during such disasters, giving away their stock or at most selling it at cost, instead of jacking up prices because demand is so high. I have actually experienced (well, actually, been scared s,,,less by) such an event (Kobe, 1995), so I find it a bit annoying that someone who has not actually lived in Japan and gone through the same experience would make such comments.

Please offer your help, or at least your prayers, or even just good thoughts if you are agnostic or atheist.

reply to post by 3warped3


Too bad, I live in LA, so I guess there would be no looting, BUT definitely robbing.
I've been praying for them from day one.

Originally posted by Tuvok112
reply to post by reluctantpawn

 

Theres a pretty good chance that no one has reported on it yet. Its silly to imagine that NO looting has taken place there so far

In Japan thieves get hefty sentences and the loss of 'face' cause's a big effect on the mind of criminals...

This is why !!!!




www.youtube.com/user/ATLAHWorldwide#p/u/2/VeA7OOBhlDk