Crime and Punishment (retribution pending...)

Canada, thanks largely to vast uninhabited stretches of arctica in the north, enjoys a population density of about 3.23 persons per square kilometre, although almost all of the population is located within 200 kilometres from the US of A. Ontario has about 4 times the national average. Japan on the other hand has a population density of around 337 persons per square kilometre.
For a more insightful account though, let's look at urban densities.
In Toronto, there are 3939 inhabitants per square kilometre (metropolitan Toronto clocks in at around 793 inhabitants per square kilometre). Tokyo on the other hand, has to deal with 13,500 persons per kilometre (5,655 for Metro Tokyo).

Now let's take a brief look at the crime stats for a number of various countries (compiled by the Taiwan government from various sources, 1998):

Murders per 100,000.
Russia Federation 18.07
United States 6.32
Malaysia 2.73
Taiwan 1.17
Spain 1.08
Japan 0.58

Toronto 1.80 (taken from www.Toronto.ca website)

Rape per 100,000.
1. United States 34.20
2. England and Wales 14.69
3. France 13.38
Taiwan 8.82
South Korea 4.38
Spain 3.23
Japan 1.48

Serious Assault per 100,000.
1. Australia 713.68
2. England & Wales 405.20
3. United States 357.94
Taiwan 37.30
Spain 23.94
Japan 15.40

Robbery/Violent Theft per 100,000.
1. Spain 169.85
2. United States 169.02
3. France 144.10
Taiwan 14.35
South Korea 11.74
Japan 2.71


The densely populated island of Japan, and the insanely crowded metropolis of Tokyo is one of the safest places to live on Earth.

Japan has built itself on traditions of discipline and honour. To a large extent, these traditions have thus far endured, perhaps necessarily. In a place as densely populated as Japan, where every morning and night the trains (which run impeccably on time every 2 minutes) are so full of people that the windows sweat and special slaves are employed to push and shove people into the trains so the doors can actually close, it is perhaps mandatory to have a culture of politeness and respect (at least superficially). Living in a country filled with so many people in such constant proximity necessitates civil niceities among its citizens, otherwise its doubtful society could exist at all.

Of course, the ultimate irony of Japan and its society of kindness and politeness is its relationship with the rest of East Asia. Japan is passionately despised by all of her neighbours. The (perhaps) kindest, most outwardly polite (on the whole), and respectful society on Earth is seen as a country of murderous, heathen, imperialist scum bent on the domination and conquest of everyone else. I mean, there are websites filled with pictures that Korean children drew of Japan sinking into the sea, her flag burning, while all the Korea children cheer. These kids are like 10 years old!

there are numerous examples of such things - http://uqmgp.hp.infoseek.co.jp/

for a short article on the subject, check the link below
http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/waiwai/archive/news/2005/07/20050709p2g00m0dm001000c.html


All the politeness and respectfulness in the world cannot change Japan's past of militant imperialism...and their joke of a parliament (somewhat misnomered as "the Diet"), is doing precious little to ease the tension with their Asian neighbours, often deliberately aggravating the situation, in fact.
(http://www.wsws.org/articles/2001/aug2001/jap-a17.shtml)

article on Japan-China relations http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=3786409


Japan, in many ways, really is the America of the East, but with China rushing to modernize its country of over a billion people, and a permanently pissed-off and brainwashed nationalistic South Korea, it's high time Japan dealt with past grievances, if not for the sake of diplomacy and responsible government, then for the sake of her own survival.