Japan’s Lost-and-Found System
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Japan’s Lost-and-Found System
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Re: Japan’s Lost-and-Found System
#2Japan is insanely good.
Re: Japan’s Lost-and-Found System
#3Japan is insanely good.
Locking a country down and being a homogeneous population has some benefits.
Re: Japan’s Lost-and-Found System
#4Just like most public systems in Japan.
Re: Japan’s Lost-and-Found System
#5I've never been to Japan, but whenever I read these articles, I am reminded of the Japanese word 'Kaizen' which means to continuously improve your work. The way I understand it is to step outside of yourself while working and to see your output as to how it will be perceived over time and from an outsider's point of view and ask from that person's point of view what could be done better. I might be wrong, but to me, as a programmer, it is like seeing the code that I've written and see if it is simple to debug and simple to understand for people who will see it after me. A kind of stepping away from our creation.
Previously, there was another article on this [1]. And the corresponding HN thread [2]. And also a wonderful comment [3].
[0] Kaizen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaizen
[1] https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200114-why-japan-is-so-...
Re: Japan’s Lost-and-Found System
#6As someone who lives in Japan I believe this is not a result of "Japanese people being more honest", but rather:
- Availability. There are police stations (kobans) and officers on the street everywhere, just a few steps away from wherever I may find something. Turning in a lost item has no friction. All it takes is a few extra steps. In the U.S. there is huge friction - I would need to go out of my way to go to a police station and turn in something.
- The general view of police and government as your "friendly helper" as opposed to enemies. Officers and public staff (at train stations, etc) are service workers there to help you. I can ask them literally anything - directions, store recommendations, etc - and it's totally normal. Turning in a lost item to some random officer on the street is just a normal. In the U.S., I try my best to avoid all people in police uniform. They tend to be unfriendly, not helpful, and their job is to see if I am doing something illegal - not to help me. While this may not be true, that is my perception. I wouldn't even trust them to actually take care of a lost item I give to them. And the fact that they're carrying guns doesn't make them look any more friendly/helpful.
The definition of what "police" means in Japan vs. most Western countries is completely different.
Re: Japan’s Lost-and-Found System
#7What always stumped me is that there are virtually always lockers for umbrellas available (the exception being if they have appliances where you can wrap your umbrella into a plastic wrap before entering. That's mostly found in malls and department stores).
Given that the standard plastic issue umbrella is sold in any konbini [7/11 et al]) for 500yen combined with Japanese honesty that always surprised me.
Can anybody knowledgeable comment on this?
Re: Japan’s Lost-and-Found System
#8As someone who lives in Japan I believe this is not a result of "Japanese people being more honest", but rather: - Availability. There are police stations (kobans) and officers on the street everywhere, just a few steps away from wherever I may find something. Turning in a lost item has no friction. All it takes is a few extra steps. In the U.S. there is huge friction - I would need to go out of my way to go to a pol…
This is how police are portrayed in many older American children's books. I don't know whether it was actually that way, though, or just aspirational?
Re: Japan’s Lost-and-Found System
#9What always stumped me is that there are virtually always lockers for umbrellas available (the exception being if they have appliances where you can wrap your umbrella into a plastic wrap before entering. That's mostly found in malls and department stores). Given that the standard plastic issue umbrella is sold in any konbini [7/11 et al]) for 500yen combined with Japanese honesty that always surprised me. Can anybod…
What do you mean by "lockers for umbrellas"? Are you talking about public spaces or restaurants? Maybe I just haven't seen them, but I'm really not sure what you are referring to.
An umbrella may be 500 yen, but not getting wet when it's raining is priceless :) So, getting an umbrella stolen while you are in a store has a much higher cost than 500 yen.
Re: Japan’s Lost-and-Found System
#10My sister lost this wallet for a week and report to the police, then she got it back before we return home.