OK, so I really, REALLY want to find work in Japan next year. And I'm pretty sure I can, since I've taught English as a second language in other countries... SO. My question is: If I wanted to go and live and work in Japan, how safe is it for me on my own? I'm not the most social person, and I don't drink, so that probably makes me a tad safer. (At least, no one's gonna be able to take advantage of me when I'm drunk, or drag me somewhere while I'm tipsy/unconscious!) That's saved me a lot of trouble where I already live, anyway.

Maybe it's the age-old 'chikan' tradition, or just the impression of it given in manga/anime, but is it justified to be concerned about my safety even on public transport? How safe is Japan for a woman, really? Particularly a woman who is a foreigner and may not be able to speak the language fluently?

Questions:

What precautions would you advise to maximize safety? (Other than the usual precautions of not staying out too late, etc? Maybe certain cultural signifiers/behaviors to be aware of, so that I don't mistakenly 'lead someone on' or unwittingly give them information I probably shouldn't?)

How do Japanese men tend to convey romantic/sexual interest in a woman, as in, what are the cultural norms? (Just so that I actually KNOW when someone's coming on to me; I'm quite oblivious even where I already live, lol - and Westerners are a lot more obvious, or so it seems.)

Is it safer to find a homestay rather than stay in an apartment complex?

Is a 'company' apartment complex safer than one you find on your own? What the heck is a company 'dorm', anyway, and do they exist for women?

Is it necessary to find accommodation that has some kind of alarm/code/watchman, or is just a simple lock mechanism enough? Like, where I live, a lone woman probably shouldn't be staying somewhere that doesn't have restricted/protected entry with at least a swipe-card gate or an alarm. But DAMN, the rent goes up, too...

If a woman is in trouble in Japan, will someone actually step in to help? (How come in manga, hardly anyone does? Is that just manga being... manga? Lol, probably.)

Which is safer, public transport or a car? (Safety of crowded trains vs. safety of empty carparks?)

How safe are taxis? I bet they're too expensive for regular use, though... Um, any advice on that, too?

Do different areas/cities of Japan have different safety standards/concerns?

Are there any particular places that ought to avoided at certain times? E.g. Are there any especially 'sleazy' districts in Tokyo, that I probably oughtn't wander down at night?

Any other advice?

Sorry if I seem paranoid, but one of my female cousins had a REALLY bad experience when traveling abroad (not in Japan), so I just want to be apprised of what the situation really is like 'on the ground', if you know what I mean.

Thanks in advance!

well to be honest i cant answer all your questions but im just back form a two weeks holiday to japan , ok im a guy but i have to say i was never worried about my safty at all and by what ive read it is the most safe place in the world

Somehow I was under the impression Japanese men tended to be less aggressive than us westerners.

________________
"It is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science."

Japan is probably far safer than where you live now. It's ridiculous to think otherwise. I mean, there are limits to what can be considered safe anywhere, but unless you live in Singapore you'd be better off in the sleaziest part of Tokyo than you would be in your house right now. And I'm saying this as a person who lives on the fifth floor of a pachinko parlor in a noted red light district.

Well, unless you're a complete idiot (and I've met a few) that does something completely stupid because you have no sense of reality (usually this involves something being slipped into a drink by an Eastern European woman). But the fact that you're paranoid enough to even ask this sort of suggests that wouldn't happen.

Don't worry about perverts on the train. It happens, sure, but it's relatively rare- the only reason it pops up in the news with moderate frequency is because there's not really anything else to report on. There are women-only cars for commuter lines during peak hours, so really, don't worry about that.

Also, don't buy a car if you're in a city. It would be a huge waste of money. If you're up in Aomori or something, then sure. But not in a metropolitan area.

To summarize in a friend's words:

Here's the last thing I want to say: don't count on getting a job here unless you already have an offer. Experience doesn't necessarily matter. The market is extremely saturated, especially when it comes to English teaching, and oftentimes companies would rather hire someone that they a.) don't have to sponsor a visa for, and b.) speaks decent (if not functional/fluent) Japanese. Good luck in your search, I hope you get the experience, I just don't want you to be overconfident. I've seen a number of people who wanted to stay over here after university that were simply unable to.

edit: Oh, and on Japanese men... I wouldn't worry. I'm male, so I can't really tell you what any sort of "signs" might be, but I'm pretty sure you'd know if a Japanese guy was hitting on you- I've never had any problems telling when a girl was interested. Pop-sociology nonsense like the whole "herbivore" joke aside, you probably won't get approached very often unless you're in a place that caters to foreigners... Unless it's a really drunk salaryman or something. You'll probably have to be more forward.

Last edited by Crenshinibon at 8:36 am, Nov 5 2010

________________

Reviews of my Work:
You are kind of boring - Blackorion
Congratulations! Ur an asshole! - tokyo_homi
Your awesome!!! - Cherelle_Ashley
NightSwan also said that she wanted to peg me, once, but I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a threat...

answer is simple USA is one of the more dangerous places on earth, so Japan is relatively safer that way.

Unless you are going to some small town the size of a dinner for a girl with a eating disorder, chances are there will be other white people.

Japan is a small place relative to some of the bigger countries, but it has 1/3 of the American population, so roads are crowded. That and they drive on other side of the road weird.

live any where is fine, just choose a quite neighbourhood, but cites like Tokyo you will most likely live in an apartment, unless you are loaded with cash.

While Woman may seem like have less rights than in the States, it really isn't that way anymore, and the fact you are white is just icing on the cake.

Japanese men may or may not be looking for a one night stand, but the fact you are white may intimidate some, and the ones you don't intimidate you probaably shouldn't get too comfortable right away.

as for the help part, keep in mind there are so many people in Japan hardly anything will happen in a wave of people.


keep this in mind as different as they are they are still human and has been occupied by the US for a period of time so they are more westernized then a lot of other Asia countries, minus places like India which is actually a Colony.

Don't do anything you won't do in your own country.

________________
Starter of Controversy.

This doesn't matter. Japan is more westernized, but it has far more to do with early industrialization than it does with the US occupation... I'd suggest looking at what actually happened during the Meiji restoration. And India is an ex-colony. I'm pretty sure Gandhi's rolling in his grave right now.


________________

Reviews of my Work:
You are kind of boring - Blackorion
Congratulations! Ur an asshole! - tokyo_homi
Your awesome!!! - Cherelle_Ashley
NightSwan also said that she wanted to peg me, once, but I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a threat...

of course India is no longer a colony, this is 2010, there are no colonies anymore.

Did the Meiji restoration introduce Mcdonalds and Baseball? Yea that's right, did the Restoration change some japanese people to white people so that they are more comfortable with a white person?

I'm talking atmosphere, not the technology

________________
Starter of Controversy.

Ok- I'm sure someone here is going to be able to answer your questions in more detail - but I figured I'd give you my thoughts as a girl who's been there.

I've travelled to Japan twice - once when I was 14 with my school, then again when I was 18 - where I wandered around the country by myself. I actually speak barely any Japanese - but found everyone was very nice, and helpful towards me. Felt very safe the whole time I was there.

Couple of points:

Generally found using the trains very safe (even at night) so I would recommend them. Look out for 'women-only' cars around Tokyo and Osaka.
However just be aware of where you're going if you're travelling at night. My first night I ended up getting lost in Yokohama around midnight - and nearly broke down because of it. I did end up getting helped but yeah - just make sure you look at maps first. I'd really recommend getting a good mobile phone and downloading some map applications. Look into that before you go.

Don't worry if you get stared at. That's just pretty common. People might even want to stop you and talk to you. Be a bit wary of this though - I got stopped on 3 different occasions by men who wanted to chat. It's find if you just smile and keep walking.

In regards to Japanese guys - alot of the time they're actually pretty intimidated by western woman. They assume you don't speak Japanese and don't want to risk embarrassment by trying to strike up a conversation with you. Watch out for attractive young guys in suits who may approach you on the streets at night. They usually 'Hosts' from Host Clubs. Probably not worth bothering with those places - as they'll charge you ridiculous amounts of money for drinks.
I only have experiences with men under 20 so it's probably not really helpful - as they pretty much just acted like your average bunch of young guys (some shy, some forward). I think however that in general Jap guys are more reserved than the ones I'm used to dealing with at home. You'll be fine, don't worry.

I didn't go out much at night by myself when I was there - cause I was only just 18, but from what I remember - be a little careful around the less populated areas of Shibuya and Shinjuku at night. Oh and I didn't go there - but apparently Kabuicho is a red light district so you may wanna stay away from that one.

Sorry my answers are so limited - I wish I could give more details but that's all I really remember from my time there. I plan on going back soon though - and am really looking forward to it. You shouldn't be worried at all - I found the country and people super friendly, and in general, a really safe environment to be in.

Been there, and 1000x safer than the U.S. or certain parts of Europe.

Actually, baseball started in Japan during the Meiji restoration. I'd have to look up the exact date, but it was pre-1900. McDonalds didn't exist yet, but the goal was the emulate and exceed the west during that time period. The argument you're currently spouting is the one you hear from right-wing nutjobs like Mishima Yukio that claim America lead Japan away from its roots... the reality is that the shift had already been made quite systematically. Everything else is just the standard elements of globalization that affect every industrialized nation. McDonalds are all over the world for a reason, you know, not just in Japan.

Considering Japan actually had colonies of its own in an attempt to prove its worth as an international power from the Meiji era... well, there's basically just a lot of holes there. Japan's just an industrial nation. It's more "Western"- whatever that means- because it's more industrialized. That's about all there is to it.

This is quite off-topic, though. If you're really bothered you can PM me, but I warn you that I really do know what I'm talking about with this stuff.

________________

Reviews of my Work:
You are kind of boring - Blackorion
Congratulations! Ur an asshole! - tokyo_homi
Your awesome!!! - Cherelle_Ashley
NightSwan also said that she wanted to peg me, once, but I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a threat...

This thread has been HUGELY comforting - thank you so much! I really, REALLY appreciate everyone's answers, especially Crenshinibon's level-headed (and eloquently-worded) advice! Yay!

I may not be a very good person to answer any safety-related worries, since I regularly do things that are warned against as being unsafe, when I go somewhere. Within limits, though, I'm not (very) stupid.

But seriously, apart from possibly Singapore, as Crenshinibon already said, you'll be hard pressed to find a safer country anywhere. The chances of anything honestly bad happening to you there are vanishingly small. You'd be more likely to die in some kind of natural disaster than from something illegal. (And no one ever seems to worry about that, even though the probability is usually much greater in Tokyo than where they come from.)

I won't tell you to avoid drunk Japanese men, because they can be very amusing. And it's hard to get to know people in cultures like that one when you're an outsider, if you don't wait for them to lower their shields a bit by means of the alcohol. Not to mention that pretty much all Japanese get much better at English with a shot or three beneath the vest. Gets rid of their fear of making fools of themselves, it does. But depending on your personality, it might be better to leave a bit early at any office get-togethers and such, while everyone is just drunk, and not stinking drunk. Our Japanese friends are very well-behaved at almost all times, but once you take that pressure of society away, some can get a bit... random.

It's funny with the mention of Kabukicho, too. That's the only place in Japan I've ever felt was marginally unsafe. And really, that's because of desperate and pushy illegal aliens. It's really funny, otherwise, I'd recommend the place for sightseeing. I went through there once in the early evening, around seven or so, because I was trying to go to the Kinokuniya west branch from the south, and many many people from the host/hostess bars were out on the streets. Impressive spectacle, it was, especially this one okama place that had the usual guys in their 30s-50s, badly disguised as women, sweeping the sidewalk in a very seductive manner. Awesome, and just as Japan-exclusive as going to see some old reconstructed castle or other.
I think women would be almost safer there, though. I'm sure you'd be solicited by hosts a lot, if you went to the "right" part of it. But that's not exactly good or bad in itself, it depends on your outlook.

Oh, and about the whole westernisation bit...
Indeed, if you know more than surface facts about the country, and a little bit about the world, it's pretty bleedin' obvious that most of the western bits in Japanese culture are more European. Even if some did come via the US, high culture there in Meiji times wasn't exactly McDognads and such.

When I was watching Anthony Bordain's No Reservations: Japan, he talked about how Japan's crime rate is among the lowest in the world. Women and children can walk around safely in the middle of the night. He said the only main thing you have to watch for it pickpocketing, but this isn't that frequent anyway.

________________

@pnyxtr, your reply rocks and is incredibly helpful! Thank you so much!

And, heh, I especially loved this bit...


LOL! I misread "Dognads" as "Gonads", which made me sporfle my tea SO hard I nearly had to wipe the monitor! Lmao...

I for once... the only thing that keeps me from going to japan is that you will more likely die from a natural disaster than from criminality. I can some how keep away from the last but not the 1st.