Quote:
Originally Posted by MaiHikari
The Japanese don't really care to vote for their government because the government is useless.
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Please, get your facts straight. In 2003, Japan had a voter turn-out of 67.5% for its major election (lower house of Diet). The comparable U.S. election, the 2004 presidential election, had a turn-out rate of 56.2%, 11.3% less than the Japanese voter turn-out rate.
Here's a
University of Tokyo report on it
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaiHikari
Japan is still ran by Yakuza from behind the scene. I don't mean young gangsters trying to bully others, but professional organized crime that controls the laws of Japanese commerce.
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While there are ties between organized crime and corrupt politicians, I don't think it's anywhere as extensive as you imagine it to be. Hope you are kidding about this one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaiHikari
Such is the result of a weak state post WWII.
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Dunno which country you are imagining, but the Japanese government officials and SDF officers I met during the three years I lived there on official business did not give off the impression that they are a weak state. Just ask their Chinese, Taiwanese, and Korean neighbors.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stray
As an aside, I have read articles that Japan typically does grossly understate their crime statistics, as well as some scary things about their laws (which honestly may have changed) regarding detaining prisoners without charge (Napoleon laws) but um... I'm tired.
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The problem is that being a shame based culture, people under report certain types of crimes. So I would say it has more to do with the culture than any official cover-up. As for pubic safety, Japan is generally much safer than U.S. I have wandered drunk through quite a few parts of Tokyo late at night with no ill effects. And my colleagues (especially female ones) when I was living there also remarked about how safe they felt walking alone home at night.
As for law... well, all I have to say is don't get in trouble with the Japanese police. They can hold you for up to 48 hours without charge. If they feel like they got enough, then they can request an indictment from a prosecutor. The prosecutor has 24 hours to get a detention order from a judge, and then they got up to 20 more days to decide whether to file charges or not.
Usually there are no bails for foreigners, and the detention facility condition is poor. I recall someone informed me that it was like "Lord of the Files." Since I only visited a post-sentencing jail with strict discipline on official tour, I can't say if the description of pre-trial detention facility is accurate or not. Regardless, I don't recommend going there.
