Safety in Japan

Thu 2007/10/11 02:10 JST
 49
 in Japan
1027 views

Have you ever wondered why when you watch anime or JDrama that doors to houses never seemed to be locked? Its not because its unimportant to show characters unlocking a door but because the door really is unlocked.

This sign says "(I) closed it, (I) locked it but (let me) check one more time."
Many Japanese families who I know leave their front door closed but unlocked. I guess its a cultural or traditional thing that I cant get used too especially being brought up in Hackney London.
Do you live in an area safe enough to leave your front door unlocked?

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  • Neurorelay
    Neurorelay in California, USA (Registered on 2007/08/29)
    Sophist
    http://www.techswe.com

    Where I live, I don't think we have locked our door more then 10% over the last 30 years.

    Thu 2007/10/11 02:13:19 JST (ID #59115)
    reply to Neurorelay's comment
  • Uradox
    Uradox in Nagoya / Perth (Registered on 2007/05/12)
    Procurement officer / Teacher
    http://www.traded.name

    I think old people lock their doors.
    But gee all the apartments i've seen have fancy locks so its impossible to forget to lock lol.

    Thu 2007/10/11 02:28:59 JST (ID #59117)
    reply to Uradox's comment
  • keats
    keats in NL (Registered on 2007/09/02)
    Eternal Dreamer

    When I close the door, it locks automatically. From the outside, it can only be opened by turning the key, there is no handle.

    With all those unlocked doors, no wonder you get all the embarrassing situations in Japan!

    Thu 2007/10/11 02:32:23 JST (ID #59120)
    reply to keats's comment
  • keats
    keats in NL (Registered on 2007/09/02)
    Eternal Dreamer

    Leaving the door unlocked facilitates stealing underwear, hehehe

    Thu 2007/10/11 02:33:45 JST (ID #59121)
    reply to keats's comment
  • CrazyAnimeTuga
    CrazyAnimeTuga in Portugal (Registered on 2007/01/02)
    Student
    http://animestuff.wordpress.com/

    Although I live in a peaceful small town I never leave my door unlocked, cause I have so much important and "relics" (wines, coins....) much from heritage. So I never leave my doors unlocked

    Thu 2007/10/11 03:12:24 JST (ID #59123)
    reply to CrazyAnimeTuga's comment
  • ait_meijin
    ait_meijin in サイベリア (Registered on 2007/02/04)
    IT-オタク
    http://picasaweb.google.com/ait.meijin

    Doh... I wish to live in such country where one should'n lock his door. But alas! ~_~

    Thu 2007/10/11 04:00:41 JST (ID #59128)
    reply to ait_meijin's comment
  • CyruzDraxs
    CyruzDraxs in Kelowna, BC, Canada (Registered on 2007/09/11)
    Web Design & Development
    http://www.nerdculture.org

    There isn't really any crime to speak of here--everyone is rich and retired; no need to steal.

    Thu 2007/10/11 04:06:17 JST (ID #59130)
    reply to CyruzDraxs's comment
  • windbell
    windbell in Singapore/シンガポール, Tokyo/東京 (Registered on 2006/12/25)
    Web Developer/ウェブデベロッパー, Photographer/写真や
    http://www.moeside.net/weblog

    While in Japan, I was actually tempted to go up to one of the houses and open the door to take a peek ^^;

    Thu 2007/10/11 04:48:57 JST (ID #59131)
    reply to windbell's comment
  • Jesper
    Jesper in Viborg, Denmark, Europe, Earth (Registered on 2007/07/16)
    Plast Processing Engineer
    http://jespersunivers.com/otaku/

    Living in (fairly) peaceful Viborg, Denmark. I don't really think I would have to, And I do really know many that definately wouldn't turn around on the way to work if they remembered not having done so. But I, myself, do it though. I guess to many american crap shows show us how 'bad' the world is...

    Thu 2007/10/11 05:32:09 JST (ID #59135)
    reply to Jesper's comment
  • GundamJehutyKai
    GundamJehutyKai in Foundation II Stellvia (Registered on 2007/09/12)
    Service desk support
    http://lookingglass.kokidokom.net

    err, living in south london...

    Damn right I make sure the door is closed and locked!!!
    Even if the area was better and I knew all my neighbours, i'd still lock the door. Force of habit I guess, but for now it's a necessity

    Thu 2007/10/11 06:07:04 JST (ID #59139)
    reply to GundamJehutyKai's comment
  • Elozt E. Elric
    Elozt E. Elric in Singapore (Registered on 2007/08/12)
    Pre-Enlisted NS(Army)-men
    http://elozt.wordpress.com/

    In singapore, you'd usually see people locking their front gates and doors. It'll be weird, if they didn't lock it since we never know when will thieves sneak in.

    I suppose that pretty much applies to residents in malaysia too, since my relatives does that when my family and I goes over for a visit.

    Thu 2007/10/11 07:02:26 JST (ID #59144)
    reply to Elozt E. Elric's comment
  • Ryuuichi
    Ryuuichi in Sydney, Australia (Registered on 2008/06/21)
    Student

    Yeah it's very safe not to lock the front door in my hometown (Indonesia).. Except that you would have to move somewhere else after that xP most probably someone has already taken claim of your house.. Hahaha..

    I always lock the doors here in Sydney too.. But there're cases of people breaking in too.. Here in Sydney, even though the doors are locked..

    Thu 2007/10/11 07:04:35 JST (ID #59145)
    reply to Ryuuichi's comment
  • Sotb
    Sotb in Malaysia (Registered on 2007/08/22)
    Manufacturing
    http://sotbest.blogspot.com/

    maybe japanese think that ppl wont go and tried open their front door! U leave the front door open and the thief will still come in from the back door which is lock!

    Thu 2007/10/11 07:17:13 JST (ID #59146)
    reply to Sotb's comment
  • hendrik
    hendrik in jakarta,indonesia (Registered on 2007/05/31)
    student

    always lock my front door and gates.
    these stupid natives indonesian is just not respecting privacy,
    their children could just get into my house and play football, and scratch all my car.

    Thu 2007/10/11 07:34:24 JST (ID #59147)
    reply to hendrik's comment
  • ふぇんりる
    ふぇんりる in 日本の関東 (Registered on 2007/09/03)
    引きこもり

    たまに鍵をかけ忘れます。我ながら不注意でお恥ずかしい限りです。日本でも一般常識では鍵はかける物ですよー
    ただまぁ、夏になると、窓を全開のまま出かける人は少なくないですなぁ。何だかんだ言って、まだ犯罪発生率は低いのかもしれません。

    Thu 2007/10/11 08:04:50 JST (ID #59149)
    reply to ふぇんりる's comment
  • skankywonders
    skankywonders in California (Registered on 2007/08/09)
    Student

    That sounds nice, I always lock mine.

    Thu 2007/10/11 08:28:44 JST (ID #59150)
    reply to skankywonders's comment
  • electric goldfish
    electric goldfish in Tampa Bay, FL (Registered on 2007/07/09)
    Graphic Designer, Student
    http://electricgoldfish.blogspot.com

    I watch the news too much to keep my door unlocked. (In sunny Florida with more crazies than you'd expect)

    Thu 2007/10/11 08:52:33 JST (ID #59154)
    reply to electric goldfish's comment
  • bolt
    bolt in Tampa Fl. (Registered on 2007/04/17)
    security/3d graphic artist
    http://www.kennethleishman.com/

    depends.. in a city.. no.. it stays locked, even when were in here.. but in the rural country.. it stays unlocked most of the time..

    but ya in todays age.. the need to lock the door in the us is almost mandatory..

    Thu 2007/10/11 09:44:49 JST (ID #59156)
    reply to bolt's comment
  • NGEunit01
    NGEunit01 in Cali (Registered on 2007/05/14)
    College Student
    http://www.figure.fm/home/NGEunit01

    locking my doors is mandatory. You just can never trust people even if you think that they are nice.

    Thu 2007/10/11 10:09:14 JST (ID #59158)
    reply to NGEunit01's comment
  • V1lt R
    V1lt R in US (Registered on 2007/01/05)
    Tow dispatcher

    my doors are like my car doors. they're always locked.

    Thu 2007/10/11 10:11:38 JST (ID #59159)
    reply to V1lt R's comment
  • XSportSeeker
    XSportSeeker in Brazil (Registered on 2007/08/22)
    Dropping computers, starting all over again at Journalism
    http://xspblog.com

    Doors locked, iron bars in every window, eletronic alarm system, particular security in the neighborhood, dog, and I can't feel safe even with all that.

    And I'm not paranoid... this is Brazil.

    I live in a city that was ranked between the top 10 most violent cities in Brazil.
    Though I live far far away from the violent neighborhoods, where 10+ people are killed every weekend, there's really no "safe zone" here.

    I guess that's what I valued the most on my visit to Japan. That security feeling, the freedom people have to just go outside in the middle of the night to get something on 24 hour stores and food machines.

    And the worst thing is: People who are threatening that security feeling in Japan is... exactly some brazilians and other immigrants from 3rd world/developing countries.

    Sad.

    Thu 2007/10/11 10:13:05 JST (ID #59160)
    reply to XSportSeeker's comment
  • D_Blade
    D_Blade in Montreal (Registered on 2006/12/31)
    Non-profit org. volunteering work addict

    Safety first. Even if it's a gorgeous girl (following post)

    Too bad that every place is not like Japan, in terms of anime opportunities and safety, that is. -_-;

    Thu 2007/10/11 10:28:33 JST (ID #59162)
    reply to D_Blade's comment
  • BeLe
    BeLe in Davao, Philippines (Registered on 2007/01/03)
    .NET/Web Developer
    http://scrumptious.animeblogger.net

    Maybe they just keep forgetting to lock their doors? heheh. I'd leave the door unlocked if I were in an enclosed village, otherwise, heck no! :D

    Thu 2007/10/11 10:38:31 JST (ID #59165)
    reply to BeLe's comment
  • Hatix
    Hatix in Antwerp, Belgium (Registered on 2007/04/25)
    IT, Programmer, Otaku, ...
    http://blog.jpopdb.org/

    I always lock my door, although I don't think there are many thieves in my area.
    I heard they do the same thing in Canada.

    Thu 2007/10/11 11:18:11 JST (ID #59166)
    reply to Hatix's comment
  • Hachiko
    Hachiko in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Registered on 2006/12/26)
    Student
    http://arudesu.animeblogger.net

    Hell no, I don't leave my door unlocked when my PS3 is downstairs.

    Thu 2007/10/11 13:34:33 JST (ID #59169)
    reply to Hachiko's comment
  • Hachiko
    Hachiko in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Registered on 2006/12/26)
    Student
    http://arudesu.animeblogger.net

    Oh darn it, typo... I ment I do keep my door locked xD

    Thu 2007/10/11 13:35:24 JST (ID #59170)
    reply to Hachiko's comment
  • i'm mr. danger
    i'm mr. danger in Florida (Registered on 2007/08/17)
    student , otaku and awesome blogger
    http://otakudan.com

    i would never have my front door unlocked because of the crime in my town

    Thu 2007/10/11 13:53:52 JST (ID #59171)
    reply to i'm mr. danger's comment
  • DRAGUN
    DRAGUN in Arizona, USA (Registered on 2007/08/22)
    Design Consultant

    Theres an old saying "Locked doors keep honest people honest". Some people are honest because of the lack of opportuntiy, some are just honest. Some arent. Since I dont trust everyone with my stuff, then I lock my doors. The chances of something happening in my gated community are slim, but its like wearing a seat belt. You dont know when its going to hit you.

    Thu 2007/10/11 14:15:24 JST (ID #59173)
    reply to DRAGUN's comment
  • Kaj
    Kaj in Somewhere between NL and JP (Registered on 2007/09/22)
    Sysadmin
    http://blogger.xs4all.nl/kajcom

    At home, I usually lock my doors, but I tend to forget to lock it sometimes.
    I live in a reasonably safe neighbourhood, where social control is quite high, so people tend to watch out for each other and their properties.

    When I'm in Japan, I too enjoy that secure feeling, knowing that, IF I forget something or leave something behind in a train, I have a very big chance of it being untouched, or given into custody at a train station.
    I got my Palm LifeDrive returned to me that way.

    One of the reasons I love Japan.

    Thu 2007/10/11 14:38:08 JST (ID #59175)
    reply to Kaj's comment
  • Timerswing
    Timerswing in Mexico (Registered on 2007/08/25)
    Student

    The front door always locked...when I go out, its when i close windows and lock doors

    Thu 2007/10/11 15:49:55 JST (ID #59178)
    reply to Timerswing's comment
  • faiyaka
    faiyaka in California (Registered on 2007/10/11)
    Student

    no way man. locked doors all the time. no exceptions.

    Thu 2007/10/11 17:36:13 JST (ID #59192)
    reply to faiyaka's comment
  • Henry
    Henry in /usr/bin/ (Registered on 2006/12/25)
    anime/cosplay events organizer
    http://www.cosplay.ph

    in a place where there's crime, we always lock all doors and windows whenever we leave the house...

    we even lock the house even if we are at the house lol

    Thu 2007/10/11 17:51:13 JST (ID #59194)
    reply to Henry's comment
  • Taaron
    Taaron in Texas (Registered on 2007/08/27)

    I guess we're pretty safe, since there's been a few nights where I've forgotten to lock the door, and woke up in the morning and was like "...Whoops." Heck, on our old doorknob, if you twisted it one way, then the other way, you could get in without a key. ^_^;;

    But with that said, I live by what that sign says. ^_^

    T

    Thu 2007/10/11 18:50:22 JST (ID #59199)
    reply to Taaron's comment
  • 10116222
    10116222 in QC, Manila, Philippines (Registered on 2007/01/28)
    Nendoroid Hunter

    It's insane not to lock your doors here in the Metro, even houses inside high end or top-security villages keep their doors locked.

    Thu 2007/10/11 18:58:53 JST (ID #59201)
    reply to 10116222's comment
  • JapanAnime
    JapanAnime in Hilversum, Holland (Registered on 2007/08/05)
    4th Year Business Economics Student

    Not a very smart idea to leave the front door unlocked in my area. Leaving the front window slightly open during the night is asking for trouble.

    Thu 2007/10/11 19:04:01 JST (ID #59203)
    reply to JapanAnime's comment
  • animes
    animes in cephiro (Registered on 2007/01/23)
    mahou kishi
    http://www.animedia.com.mx

    is the old thing about what really matters, if you leave your door open, that means anyone can enter to rob your? of course not! a society that makes you worry about things like that is wrong, the best place to live would be a place where you can leave your door open with no worries, or that you can leave your bags in a restaurant and when you remember you leave them there the bags stays there, a friend of mine just went to Japan and he told me he forgot his bag with a brand new psp and some expensive electronics in the train, but he just had to ask for the bag and it was recovered in no time, most people thinks that is normal that you have to leave your door closed or that you have be careful, thats not right.

    Thu 2007/10/11 21:29:44 JST (ID #59215)
    reply to animes's comment
  • McNally
    McNally in Oxford, Mississippi, USA (Registered on 2007/08/28)
    College student and soldier
    http://cadet-mcnally.livejournal.com/

    I started locking the door again after a guy in the apartment complex down the street was shot in the head on a Saturday morning two weeks ago.

    Not that I have much faith in the lock. But if someone *really* wants to get in, they'd have to deal with a trained soldier who owns weapons.

    Thu 2007/10/11 23:10:44 JST (ID #59223)
    reply to McNally's comment
  • syrix
    syrix in U.S. (Registered on 2007/03/21)
    student
    http://animesugoi.animeblogger.net/

    I could probably leave my door unlocked but closed because I live in an apartment. We have a security, security doors, and cameras watching the entrances, though I can't say that its always safe. I do leave the door open an keep the screen door closed and locked at night.

    Fri 2007/10/12 00:26:21 JST (ID #59227)
    reply to syrix's comment
  • Briant
    Briant in USA (Registered on 2007/08/04)
    Student

    The area where I live in is fairly free of crime (except for a few incidents). I mean, I could leave my door unlocked for a whole day and I wouldn't be surprised if no one "broke in." But just to be safe (and out of habit), I do lock the door.

    Fri 2007/10/12 00:38:49 JST (ID #59232)
    reply to Briant's comment
  • boku_baka
    boku_baka in Semarang-3 Indonesia (Registered on 2007/10/09)
    bored salaryman
    http://blog.budiyono.net

    I may live in a vilage whose poeple are all saint.. but I'll keep my door locked for God sake. it brought me peace.. :D

    Fri 2007/10/12 02:01:12 JST (ID #59242)
    reply to boku_baka's comment
  • Aya Kyunik
    Aya Kyunik in Melbourne, Australia (Registered on 2007/05/22)
    Graphic Art/Pre-press/3D animator/wannabe hikkikomori
    http://moeidolatry.com

    NEVER leave the door unlocked here, keep BOTH locked, the main door AND the security door @_@

    My figures, doujins, PC, etc are too valuable~!!

    Fri 2007/10/12 03:18:10 JST (ID #59245)
    reply to Aya Kyunik's comment
  • terry
    terry in Singapore (Registered on 2007/08/02)
    =.=!
    http://hihi123.wordpress.com

    i have heard of it from my sister about this issue before when she's in japan..
    but anyway, their mentality seems to be like there would be any black sheep that will aim their belongings..

    Fri 2007/10/12 08:06:22 JST (ID #59284)
    reply to terry's comment
  • kousaka
    kousaka in USA (Registered on 2007/09/01)
    student

    I read in the japanese local news that a westerner was killed in her bathroom by someone who broke in.

    I guess when you think you're absolutely safe, you're really not. Its probably better to be sure and just lock the door no matter where you live whether for safety or privacy reasons.

    Fri 2007/10/12 14:58:52 JST (ID #59315)
    reply to kousaka's comment
  • -XYZPDQ
    -XYZPDQ in Pennsylvania, United States (Registered on 2007/01/01)
    Student Engineer
    http://www.tgwnetohh.blogspot.com/

    It used to be safe to do that where I used to live 10-13 years ago, but now the world (always has been, but is worse now) is full of sick peeps who want to do schtuff or thieves that are greedy.

    The door is always locked and the deadbolt is always set. It is a "quiet" neighborhood but those are likely to get hit once or twice every decade.

    I live at the university now, so safety has not left my mind. I always lock the door, deadbolt the door, and since we are connected to another room I always lock my Wii, DS, Laptop, wallet (dont really need it on campus, you pay for stuff with your ID) or anything even remotely close in value. If I go to class I just usually let my laptop stay on my desk, but I am always vigilant to stupid crap, because eventually SOMEONE will pull it off on the least suspecting person.

    Fri 2007/10/12 15:17:56 JST (ID #59320)
    reply to -XYZPDQ's comment
  • Boris
    Boris in USA (Registered on 2006/12/25)
    Visual Communications and Web 2.0
    http://www.imagineboris.com

    i wouldn't leave my door open even if someone is home. -.-

    Fri 2007/10/12 18:47:29 JST (ID #59345)
    reply to Boris's comment
  • Skull_Commander
    Skull_Commander in On Earth (Registered on 2007/09/15)
    IT Guys

    I prefer to lock the door since you never know what might happen next ^^;;

    Better safe then sorry.

    Sat 2007/10/13 10:08:57 JST (ID #59412)
    reply to Skull_Commander's comment
  • Henry_Michael
    Henry_Michael in San Diego (Registered on 2009/02/18)
    Missionary
    http://suigeneris-me.blogspot.com/

    my neighborhood is actually wierd this way: on my street I would never leave the door unlocked, yet if I go to the next cross street and up the next residential street where my friends live (about 30 seconds away walking) it's perfectly safe!!!

    Fri 2009/02/20 19:40:09 JST (ID #496456)
    reply to Henry_Michael's comment

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