Maciamo
先輩
- 17 Jul 2002
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Did you know that cutting the line to buy a ticket at a station is illegal in Japan? That's not the kind of things I would ever do, but this kind of behaviour is considered culturally acceptable in many countries around the world, including places like France, Italy, Spain or Latin America. According to famous YouTuber Paolo from Tokyo (see video below), unsuspecting foreigners have been arrested for this in Japan, as it is part of the country's Minor Crime Laws (軽犯罪法 Keihan Zaihou). Sounds extreme? Well, the penalty for this minor offence can be a small fine of about 10 to 100€/$, or 1 to 30 days in jail! Imagine spending a month in a Japanese prison, places notorious for their military-style discipline and bad treatments, just for skipping a queue to buy a metro ticket? Apparently foreigners have been arrested and jailed for this, although I couldn't find if any of them actually spend a whole month in prison for it.
Here are some of the other offences listed under the "Minor Crime Laws":
So if you ever see something interesting that was discarded in your neighbour's rubbish bag in Japan and thought "Oh what a shame to throw this away when it's barely used". Well don't do it. If a cop pass by at that time and see you opening a rubbish bag, you'll be questioned, and if you can't prove it's your own rubbish bag, you could be spending the next 10 years in a Japanese prison (if you survive till the end).
Street fighter may be one of the most famous and popular Japanese video games of all times, but getting into a fight in Japan is a very serious offence.
Here are some of the other offences listed under the "Minor Crime Laws":
- Spitting or urinating in the street or a public place like a park. => 10 to 100€/$ fine or 1 to 30 days imprisonment
- Giving wrong directions to a delivery person. => 10 to 100€/$ fine or 1 to 30 days imprisonment
- Taking someone's trash (rubbish/garbage bag in the street) => up to 5000$ fine or up to 10 years in prison (!!) for theft + 1000$ fine or up to 3 years in prison for home invasion if taken within the confines of a private property. Paolo gives the example of a Japanese woman who was arrested and condemned for "stealing" empty aluminium cans from people's trash to donate (not sell) them to the city council social welfare programme.
- Putting food or rubbish in a red post box of the Japan Post. => up to 5000$ fine or up to 5 years in prison
So if you ever see something interesting that was discarded in your neighbour's rubbish bag in Japan and thought "Oh what a shame to throw this away when it's barely used". Well don't do it. If a cop pass by at that time and see you opening a rubbish bag, you'll be questioned, and if you can't prove it's your own rubbish bag, you could be spending the next 10 years in a Japanese prison (if you survive till the end).
Street fighter may be one of the most famous and popular Japanese video games of all times, but getting into a fight in Japan is a very serious offence.
- Challenging someone to a fight => 6 months to 2 years in prison
- Actually getting involved in a fight. => 2 to 5 years in prison
- Injuring someone in a fight => 5000$ fine and up to 15 years in prison
- Watching a fight (without involvement). => 1 month to 1 year in prison
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