Things to keep in mind to live safely
Though Japan is known as safe and comfortable to live in, you can be a victim of crime.
To know what kind of crimes are common and how to prevent to fall victim, will protect lives and property.
[Burglary]
Burglars often target unattended houses.
They enter the house through unlocked doors and windows.
Even if the window is locked, they break the glass and unlock it to enter the house.
Picking is the method of opening a house door without breaking the lock by using a special tool. Sometime, even though there are people in the house, they may come in and that is very dangerous.
What you can do to prevent burglary
- Lock your door when you leave your home, even for a short time.
- Lock small windows, such as bathroom and toilet windows.
- Install additional locks on doors and windows.
[Purse-Snatching]
Your purse may be stolen by a purse-snatcher who is riding a motorcycle or bicycle while walking down the street.
Snatchers may steal your purse from the basket of your bicycle while you are riding bicycle.
Resisting the snatcher is dangerous because you could be injured.
What you can do to prevent purse-snatching
- Do not hold your purse or bag on the side closer to the traffic of cars and motorcycles.
- Walk on well-lit, crowded streets at night.
- Put a cover or net over the purse in the bike basket.
[Car/motorcycle/bicycles Theft]
They can be stolen not only when you forget to lock them, but also when they are locked.
They can be stolen even in the premises of condominiums and apartments.
Wallets, bags, car navigation systems, etc. in cars may be stolen.
License plates and parts such as tires and wheels are also targeted.
What you can do to prevent your car, motorcycle or bicycle from theft:
- Close windows and lock when leaving the vehicle.
Do not leave your wallet or bag in the car.
Install steering wheel locks or tire locks to keep your car from being moved.
- Park motorcycles and bicycles in bicycle parking lots, not on roads.
Lock your bicycle when you park it in the parking lot of an apartment or condominium.
- Install a secondary lock on your motorcycle or bicycle.
Keep children safe
Crimes in which children are victims are increasing.
Educate your child repeatedly of the following:
- When a stranger talks to you, do not follow him/her or not get in his/her car.
- Shout loudly if you feel uncomfortable or scared.
- Run away to an adult immediately.
In Japan, parents rarely accompany children to and from elementary school.
Tell them to go with their friends as much as possible.
To determine dangerous places on the way to school, parents and children should walk together sometime.
Check the locations of convenience stores, shops, police boxes, etc. and let your child know places they can seek help during the walk.
"J-Alert" to inform you of danger
J-Alert is a government alert system to convey emergency information to residents.
It informs you of emergency situations that require immediate response, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, eruptions, heavy rains, landslides, floods, and ballistic missiles.
Apps such as "Area Mail" and "Emergency Warning Mail" are installed on smartphones in Japan so that J-Alert can be received.
If you want to receive emergency information in a foreign language, use the following application:
Japan Tourism Agency: an application that provides disaster information「Safety tips」
Language: Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Tagalog, Nepalese, Khmer, Burmese, Mongolian
- Free of charge
- Provides information on earthquakes, tsunamis, eruptions, heavy rains, ballistic missiles, evacuation advisories, etc.
- You can download it from the URL below:
Android：https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.co.rcsc.safetyTips.android
iPhone：https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/safety-tips/id858357174
