Japan going to the dogs, gaijin hanzai (foreigner crime) blamed: part 2 of 2

[part 1] [part 2]

The Cabinet Office Japan recently released a survey into people’s thoughts about public safety in Japan. 3,000 people aged 20 or older were chosen by random, and between the 14th and 24th of December 1,795 of them, or 59.8%, took part in face-to-face interviews. Of those who did not participate, 124 had moved, 79 were on long-term absenses from home, 365 were not at home, 58 could not be found, 514 refused to participate, and 65 did not take part for other reasons. Demographically, 54.1% were female, 8.9% between 20 and 29, 15.0% between 30 and 39, 16.9% between 40 and 49, 21.9% between 50 and 59, 20.7% between 60 and 69, and 16.7% aged 70 or older.

The “gaijin hanzai” comment is related to the uproar regarding of widespread availability of a magazine playing on precisely the fears expressed in this survey.

I was surprised by the results in Q11 – my sterotypical image of the Japanese is that on the whole they would tend to help the police to the best of their efforts, but we see that they have reservations, especially if the crime is a relatively minor one that doesn’t involve family or friends.

Q7: How do you obtain information regarding crimes and public order? (Sample size=1,795, multiple answer)

Television, radio	95.5%
Newspapers	81.1%
Talking to friends and family	38.4%
Local government pamphlets	25.8%
Internet	21.6%
Magazines	11.6%
Police pamphlets	11.5%
Mobile phone site	4.5%
Other	0.3%
Don’t get any information	0.2%
Don’t know	0.1%

Q8: Do you think there is sufficent information offered by the police or local government regarding crime? (Sample size=1,795)

Sufficient information	3.6%
Somewhat sufficient information	25.6%
Somewhat insufficient information	49.7%
Insufficient information	19.3%
Don’t know	1.8%

Q9: What sort of information should be offered by the police or local government regarding crime? (Sample size=1,795, multiple answer)

Information regarding crimes occurring in the neighbourhood	62.2%
Information of the modus operandi of purse snatchers, etc	39.2%
Information on Neighbourhood Watch schemes and other volunteer activities	38.4%
Videos of murderers or violent thieves captured on security cameras	37.7%
Information on how to pass on information or otherwise how to co-operate with investigations	35.9%
Victim support group information	32.1%
Internet information security information	26.7%
Information on effective anti-crime goods	19.6%
Information on government-sponsored anti-crime events, etc	13.8%
Information regarding international terrorist organisations, etc, and their activities	12.9%
Other	0.4%
None in particular	2.6%
Don’t know	1.6%

Q10: If you see a crime occurring, or hear screams, etc, do you contact the police? (Sample size=1,795)

Always contact police	56.7%
Depending on circumstances, contact police (to SQ1, SQ2)	41.1%
Don’t contact police (to SQ2)	1.7%
Don’t know	0.5%

Q10SQ1: In what circumstances do you contact police? (Sample size=738, multiple answer)

When I see a murder or violent theft	78.3%
When a close friend or relative is a victim	77.6%
When I heard loud noises or screams in a familiar place	53.7%
When I see a suspicious character	27.8%
When close to a police station or police box (koban)	24.7%
When I have the time	11.4%
Other	0.3%
Don’t know	0.3%

Q10SQ2: Why do you not notify police (sometimes or always)? (Sample size=769, multiple answer)

Afraid of reprisals by criminals	33.6%
Someone else will contact them	21.2%
Bothersome having to speak to police later	17.6%
It’s nothing to do with me, don’t want to get involved	16.3%
Too busy with work, etc	10.8%
There’s no phone or other convenient means of contacting them	10.5%
Don’t know how to nofity them	10.0%
Awkward to approach police	6.9%
It won’t do any good	0.9%
Other	7.2%
Don’t know	14.6%

Q11: How would you cooperate with police regarding an incident? (Sample size=1,795)

Proactively cooperate	34.7%
Cooperate as required	61.9%
Not cooperate much (to SQ)	2.3%
Not cooperate at all (to SQ)	0.6%
Don’t know	0.4%

Q11SQ: Why would not cooperate with police? (Sample size=53, multiple answer)

Bothersome having to speak to police later	32.1%
It’s nothing to do with me, don’t want to get involved	28.3%
Afraid of reprisals by criminals	24.5%
Don’t know how it would be useful even if I cooperated	20.8%
Awkward to approach police	17.0%
Too busy with work, etc	7.5%
It won’t do any good	5.7%
Someone else will cooperate	1.9%
Other	7.5%
Don’t know	0.0%

Q12: What sorts of crimes should the police focus their effort upon? (Sample size=1,795, multiple answer)

Murders, violent robbery	63.6%
Abduction of children, etc	63.5%
Drunk-driving traffic accidents, hit-and-runs and other traffic dangers	61.6%
Violent assaults	53.7%
Housebreaking whilst owner at home	53.4%
Fraudulent sales or money-forwarding schemes	45.8%
Pick-pockets, purse snatching	39.4%
Groping or other sexual assaults	39.3%
Theft of or from motor vehicles	36.2%
Drug pushing, drug abuse	34.2%
Bosozoku bike gangs’ dangerous riding, noise pollution, etc	32.9%
Internet crime	32.8%
Stalking	29.5%
Illegal dumping and other environmental crimes	28.5%
Loan-sharking	28.1%
Gun owning, smuggling, selling, etc	23.9%
International terrorist organisations or other terrorists	21.6%
Other	0.6%
None in particular	1.6%
Don’t know	0.3%

Q13: What kinds of individuals or organisations should the police focus their effort upon? (Sample size=1,795, multiple answer)

Habitual criminals; thieves, etc	60.5%
Bosozoku or juvenile delinquent gangs	53.1%
Foreign crime gangs and illegal immigrants	51.1%
Yakusa and other organised crime	45.0%
Drug dealers or users	33.8%
International terrorist organisations or international terrorists	22.5%
Illegal businesses and other sex-related businesses	21.6%
Other	0.2%
None in particular	3.6%
Don’t know	1.3%

[part 1] [part 2]