Why the Japanese Don't Litter • Hacker News Board

Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter

#31

Post by nikatwork » Mon, Jun 16, 2014, 1:07 AM UTC

Last time I was in Shinjuku (2009) there were actual cigarette police in special uniforms who followed smokers around and publicly chastised or fined them if they littered. I saw 3 salarymen get busted within about 15 minutes. The fact that this system even exists indicates that the Japanese do litter.

On the flipside, all the fast food joints had wastebins sorted by garbage type, and I did get death stares when I accidentally put some rubbish in the wrong one. Eating while walking also got dirty looks, but conversely you could buy beer and snacks on some of the trains and drinking alcohol in public is allowed.

Site has been hugged to death, cache: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:oIkNRIM...

Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter

#32

Post by gutnor » Mon, Jun 16, 2014, 1:09 AM UTC

ekianjo wrote: post #15

hkmurakami wrote: post #3

Japan's very low number of public trash cans isn't just because of this "tradition and culture of courtesy and bringing trash home". It is also a direct result of a Sarin gas terrorism attack that hit the Tokyo subway system in 1995, whereupon some of the weaponry was deposited in a public trash can. Afterwards, the number of public trash cans was dramatically reduced. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarin_gas_attack_o…

> It is also a direct result of a Sarin gas terrorism attack that hit the Tokyo subway system in 1995, Precisely, the author is just plain ignorant. By the way the same thing happened in France after the metro bombinga.

And again after 9/11. In lot of places you can still see the bins, but there are shut by concrete or steel plates.

Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter

#33

Post by jonalmeida » Mon, Jun 16, 2014, 1:09 AM UTC

11thEarlOfMar wrote: post #12

Google in Images "Japanese school children clean their classrooms" and you'll find dozens of photos, not just of putting things away, but literally scrubbing the classroom floors. Even one photo of the guys cleaning the urinals. Maybe a prank shot. But may as well not be. The Japanese see cleanliness and orderliness as a primary virtue and leaving a place that they have used clean is taught and reinforced by peer beh…

What's really nice is that during the World Cup, after a game the Japanese fans were seen[1] cleaning up litter from the stadium. A great set of people!

[1]: i.imgur.com/pTrgXWI.jpg

Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter

#34

Post by oneeyedpigeon » Mon, Jun 16, 2014, 1:10 AM UTC

Semiapies wrote: post #17

ekianjo wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It is also a direct result of a Sarin gas terrorism attack that hit the Tokyo subway system in 1995, Precisely, the author is just plain ignorant. By the way the same thing happened in France after the metro bombinga.

And in the UK after enough IRA bombs in wastebins.

And, of course, getting rid of wastebins in the UK hasn't stopped bombings altogether, but it has made it frustratingly difficult to dispose of your litter (I do happen to always take mine with me anyway, but evidence suggests plenty of people don't). Much better - and in use in sensible locations - is a simple transparent bin/bag. Why they're not in use in more places, I'm not sure.

Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter

#35

Post by free2rhyme214 » Mon, Jun 16, 2014, 1:21 AM UTC

itazula wrote: post #23

free2rhyme214 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ya it was cleaner when I was in Tokyo but people also smoke more there and the subways are crowded. Pros and cons.

The smoking is a peeve of mine. So many young people in Japan smoking. It's very surprising because people know better.

They do know better but what I witnessed in Japan was wayyy too much group think going on and not enough individualism.

That's probably why there hasn't been that many successful startups in Japan when there's a population of over 100mm ppl.

Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter

#36

Post by ekianjo » Mon, Jun 16, 2014, 1:34 AM UTC

oneeyedpigeon wrote: post #34

Semiapies wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And in the UK after enough IRA bombs in wastebins.

And, of course, getting rid of wastebins in the UK hasn't stopped bombings altogether, but it has made it frustratingly difficult to dispose of your litter (I do happen to always take mine with me anyway, but evidence suggests plenty of people don't). Much better - and in use in sensible locations - is a simple transparent bin/bag. Why they're not in use in more places, I'm not sure.

> is a simple transparent bin/bag

It's been the standard in Paris for a while now. It has its own problems, though (bags breaking, making litter spill all around...)

Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter

#37

Post by deciplex » Mon, Jun 16, 2014, 1:35 AM UTC

edandersen wrote: post #13

11thEarlOfMar wrote: post #12

Google in Images "Japanese school children clean their classrooms" and you'll find dozens of photos, not just of putting things away, but literally scrubbing the classroom floors. Even one photo of the guys cleaning the urinals. Maybe a prank shot. But may as well not be. The Japanese see cleanliness and orderliness as a primary virtue and leaving a place that they have used clean is taught and reinforced by peer beh…

Not a prank shot - they have actually managed to convince generations of kids to clean their school's toilets using chemicals and no special training. They mask it as "culture" but it's a cost saving measure, they could be getting lessons and an education during that time.

I don't think you can really separate it out like that. It is part of what You Just Do At School, definitely, but it is also conveniently a cost-saving measure, sure. That doesn't mean that if you tried to cut it out, that parents wouldn't complain about it.

At any rate, having seen both, I assure you that there is infinitely more bullshit that American kids are doing at school instead of learning, compared to Japanese.

Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter

#38

Post by ekianjo » Mon, Jun 16, 2014, 1:37 AM UTC

nikatwork wrote: post #31

Last time I was in Shinjuku (2009) there were actual cigarette police in special uniforms who followed smokers around and publicly chastised or fined them if they littered. I saw 3 salarymen get busted within about 15 minutes. The fact that this system even exists indicates that the Japanese do litter. On the flipside, all the fast food joints had wastebins sorted by garbage type, and I did get death stares when I ac…

> Last time I was in Shinjuku (2009) there were actual cigarette police in special uniforms who followed smokers around and publicly chastised or fined them if they littered.

It's probably not working very well, because Shinjuku in the morning (at least Kabukicho, if that's what you were referring to) looks like a warzone filled with trash. They do an amazing job to clean it up everyday, however.

Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter

#39

Post by 6cxs2hd6 » Mon, Jun 16, 2014, 1:42 AM UTC

ekianjo wrote: post #14

Japanese dont litter ? This must be a good joke !! Japanese litter everywhere where they feel safe to do it. Go to a Hanabi Taikai (fireworks in summer) and on your way back you will be WALKING on litter for 1 kilometer. Go hiking in the mountains and you will see the extent of Japanese littering when noone is looking. Mountains of cans thrown away by hikers. Go in the countryside and see whay people leave on the sid…

After reading tourist books about how Japanese people think it's rude to blow your nose in public... it is slightly disconcerting to visit and see a guy hawk up some phlegm and spit it on the street. And/or, you step on a frozen goober, sparkling in the sun.

Even to the extent the generalization about a culture is true, there will always be interesting exceptions.

Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter

#40

Post by deciplex » Mon, Jun 16, 2014, 1:43 AM UTC

ekianjo wrote: post #28

itazula wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The smoking is a peeve of mine. So many young people in Japan smoking. It's very surprising because people know better.

There's no real campaign against smoking in Japan. The most "anti-tobacco" ads you see are about making sure you don't bother people around you when you smoke. And they don't really work, because smokers in Japan are completely inconsiderate of people around them. In Europe I have seen many smokers asking in restaurants before lighting one "does it bother you if I smoke?" but in Japan this would extraordinary to hear…

Most restaurants have smoking and non-smoking areas, and I guess people figure that if you're in the smoking area you at least agree to deal with the smoke. And, if you're in a restaurant that doesn't have a non-smoking area, well you're also totally free to not go to that restaurant, you know?

I'll remind you that this is basically the same attitude that you saw in the entire West up until about ten years ago before smokers became Worse Than Hitler and people stopped caring if they lived in a Nanny State.