Comments on: Security issues for young Japanese living alone http://whatjapanthinks.com/2008/03/28/security-issues-for-young-japanese-living-alone/ From kimono to keitai; research Japanese facts and figures through translated opinion polls and surveys. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:14:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Harvey http://whatjapanthinks.com/2008/03/28/security-issues-for-young-japanese-living-alone/#comment-76926 Harvey Tue, 01 Apr 2008 05:19:16 +0000 http://whatjapanthinks.com/2008/03/28/security-issues-for-young-japanese-living-alone/#comment-76926 These mega-apartment complexes have no social gathering spaces nearby. I don't know my neighbors and I'm not living single in Japan either. It's just come home, go in. Go out, leave. The only "gathering" space in our building is the mailbox thing and people only stop there for 2-3 seconds to grab their junk mail spam and throw it in the recycle bin. Occasionally there are kids hanging around in front of the building on the street playing and we exchange a few words, but I don't know exactly which building they are living in. I think living in Japanese apartment buildings has the feeling of riding a crowded train. There are people all around. You're polite enough not to step on their feet, but not close enough to talk about anything. So many people, such a lonely space! Of course, maybe it is different out in the INAKA. I'm mainly speaking of Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka. Now, in the case where my neighbors have been foreigners, we've talked a lot. But that's just gaijin power. - Harvey These mega-apartment complexes have no social gathering spaces nearby. I don’t know my neighbors and I’m not living single in Japan either. It’s just come home, go in. Go out, leave. The only “gathering” space in our building is the mailbox thing and people only stop there for 2-3 seconds to grab their junk mail spam and throw it in the recycle bin.

Occasionally there are kids hanging around in front of the building on the street playing and we exchange a few words, but I don’t know exactly which building they are living in.

I think living in Japanese apartment buildings has the feeling of riding a crowded train. There are people all around. You’re polite enough not to step on their feet, but not close enough to talk about anything. So many people, such a lonely space!

Of course, maybe it is different out in the INAKA. I’m mainly speaking of Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka.

Now, in the case where my neighbors have been foreigners, we’ve talked a lot. But that’s just gaijin power.

- Harvey

]]> By: Janne http://whatjapanthinks.com/2008/03/28/security-issues-for-young-japanese-living-alone/#comment-76277 Janne Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:23:52 +0000 http://whatjapanthinks.com/2008/03/28/security-issues-for-young-japanese-living-alone/#comment-76277 I'm not at all surprised. Just think it through: people living alone are living in a building for singles, so most neighbours are alone too. And every morning you leave for work at the same time of day. But of course, your neighbours leave at different times, depending on the length of their commute and start of work. You only have perhaps a few tens of seconds long window to catch someone else in the elevator. And of course people will tend to come home at wildly varying times, again with only seconds to ever meet. I'm surprised more that so many people can manage to exchange greetings at all. I’m not at all surprised. Just think it through: people living alone are living in a building for singles, so most neighbours are alone too. And every morning you leave for work at the same time of day. But of course, your neighbours leave at different times, depending on the length of their commute and start of work. You only have perhaps a few tens of seconds long window to catch someone else in the elevator. And of course people will tend to come home at wildly varying times, again with only seconds to ever meet.

I’m surprised more that so many people can manage to exchange greetings at all.

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