Now I don't want to ruin your impressions or memories of Japan, but I do want to tell you a story that is true and kowai (scary).
So, in this story, we'll call the good guy G. Recently, G was seriously injured. Apparently, G was walking with some other friends when a bad guy, we'll call him B, bumped into someone in G's group with his shoulder (on purpose). B turned the situation around and got mad, saying that one of the people in G's group was to blame. B is apparently associated with the yakuza (Japanese mafia) or a gang--they weren't quite sure which.
A fight broke out and in the process G's upper arm (the part above the elbow to the shoulder) was broken. G went to the hospital and has been there for the past 2 months! (apparently there were lots of bones and muscles broken and torn so the healing is slow.)
The ultimate reason B picked the fight was so that he could blackmail G for money.
Here is how B works the situation...B hits G on purpose but makes it look like it was G's fault. A fight usually will ensue and if the police get involved then B gets the personal info of G and threatens to tell G's company about what G did "to him". Since G doesn't want any trouble he needs to pay big bucks to stop B from calling his company.
In this story, B ran away and G's personal info was luckily saved, though no report is on record.
I can't believe that this kind of world exists in Japan but it does. And with the tons of people walking around on the streets, you can't help but sometimes nudge or bump into someone.
It is really nerve wracking trying not to set anyone off. You don't know what they will do or what kind of "weapons" they are packing. There have been incidents in which the criminal senselessly kills someone "just because" they felt like it.
I know most people have a really pristine, do-no-wrong image of Japan, but I wanted to share this story because this kind of thing is happening.
G, I hope you feel better soon!
9 comments:
Wow, honto ni kowai!
Myra,
I freaked out when I heard about it, it sounds like something out of the movies.
Thanks for stopping by, take care.
Kat
I don't hear about "blackmail" sort of crimes in Italy, but we do have our share of the usual violations against humanity. Really sick, especially when I read that an old person is harmed for a meager couple hundered euros. It's a big thing here for persons to pose as "officials" and get into a home for whatever reason, only to cause trouble for the inhabitants.
That is sad, Rowena. Those kinds of incidents are happening here too. The other night a minor went into a convenience store and stole some beer, when the cashier came after him, the minor stabbed and killed the cashier. He stole the beer, because he wanted to drink some. Totally sick!
Take care.
Kat
Ka Nitchi Wa Kat and Satoshi, (I mean to say hello in Japanese)
I never knew Japan was that bad. I always thought that Japan was a very peaceful place. I also hope that "G" gets better soon.
Anyway, see ya!
Natalie
P.S. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?
Konnichiwa Natalie,
I don't want to ruin your impression of Japan, just want to let you know that Japan isn't as safe as everyone thinks.
About my age, let's just say that from the looks of your blog, I'm older than you :)
Take care.
Kat
Of course bad things happen everywhere, but this really does smack of a "It happened to a friend of a friend of mine" kind of story.
hip2b2
Thanks for stopping by Anon:)
Take care.
Kat
Im glad good old G put his whole into it even though it ended with a broken one* too sad, people are Kowai by nature, man I find it annoying to think otherwise,. Let me flip the conversation I could just simply say that this is a fallacious conversation and that the whole purpose for its speaking was to lay down fear, which as anyone knows is the only true thing to be afraid of .. no manner the name by which it goes. So, all in all for those new to Japan or any area for a go to its that people are going to do what they need to do to survive and to live comfortably in the way that they are used to. If the business man survived by being assertive like he did ... good for him. Or on the other hand, if the punky mt B survived by acting in the only way he knew how well that's his prerogative. It is pertinence to me that in this case, as it was not worth the bother to him, because he could have gotten assault and battery obviously. I don't think so much about who did what to whom in the end, but it is the end of it. ha Ya-Ku-zA thats king of punks! =(
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