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Comment by dsign | Hacker News Reader

I wonder if there are unexpected crimes that a foreigner would commit in Japan that would land her/him in jail. Things like disposing of plastic bottles in the wrong bin (a hopefully absurd example) ...

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When you are a foreigner in Japan, you can end up in a jail for doing literally nothing wrong[0]. I know of another similar case where a person had to spend time in jail for accidentally "shoplifting" when in a mall they picked a thing to buy, they didn't realize they have to pay on same floor and wanted to pay at the ground floor (there was no visible separation or anything which would indicate how it's supposed to be to person who is not a local). They didn't even put the item in any bag, just was holding it on the hand and after getting of the stairs at the floor bellow, security stopped them, then police was called, no one spoke English there... at the end I think they spent 3 days in jails until the stupid misunderstanding was sorted. Japanese justice system would be absolutely ridiculous if it wasn't so sad[1].

[0]: https://nymag.com/vindicated/2016/11/truth-lies-and-videotap...

[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpz1WMsm9W4

For really trivial things you may just be told to do it properly next time (for instance not using light on bike at night). The main danger is probably difference of appreciation in the two cultures and legal systems: fight and moreover drugs are big no-no in Japan while they are almost normal in the West.

I’m not sure if drugs are so un-normal in Japan. Walking around Osaka at night, I was offered drugs multiple times by I guess either African drug dealers? That has never happened to me in NYC or LA.

I just wanted to chime in with my experience visiting NYC in the past year; I have had several people approach at night to offer drugs in various locals.

I'm always amazed by comments like this... I've traveled to cities all over the US, wandered around streets late at night, hung out in seedy bars, and generally look pretty scruffy and never once has anyone offered me drugs.

Maybe they think I'm a narc.

Another anecdote here, but I've had the opposite experience and have had people make offers ranging from extremely sketchy folks in back alleys to someone selling edibles out in the open at a nicely decorated table (but still illegally).

Life is weird sometimes.

It's the opposite. If you're being offered "drugs" by people on the street, it's because you look like a mark.

Or maybe you just didn't notice. I've been offered drugs in New York City a ton of times, even in places like right next to Times Square which are swarming with cops 24/7. The guys in busy places are especially slick about it. They walk by without stoping and more or less whisper in your direction "weed, coke, got what you need" or something like that and just keep moving. The first couple times that happened to me I was legitimately confused, because I didn't think they'd be broadcasting it so openly like that.

In Osaka they aren’t even slick about it though. I mean, I guess they know I’m not police because I’m a foreigner, but otherwise...really?

I was straight up offered weed in or around Detroit on a couple occasions. I found it more amusing than insulting, but I do wonder what this says about my appearance. Maybe it’s the long hair.

It's been a while since I've gone into NYC but in the 2000s it was common to be offered drugs exiting the Port Authority bus terminal, Penn Station, or walking around Union Square, with a casualness like asking for the time. Whether the drugs offered were real or not, I wouldn't know.

You're looking at things exactly backwards.

In a big city in the USA, if you want to be offered drugs on the street, you need to look well put together, and be in a luxury district.

Stay in a high end boutique hotel in manhattan, dress well, and you'll have someone offer you drugs almost every day.

If you get caught with drugs in Japan as a foreigner, you are in for a world of hurt.

Even if it's marijuana. It's not worth it. Don't do it. Don't be around it.

Typically Nigerian and the are employed and supplied by the yakuza. It's the worst kept secret in Japan, and everyone including the police are well aware of what is going on.

From what I've heard, the most common unexpected ones are violations of conditions for staying (overstaying visas, that kind of stuff) or stuff like this: https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/4732269/all

I'm particularly surprised by all the comments.

One of the things that people have a really wrong idea about in the US is the notion that foreigners are nice. Some of us pretend we're nice while you're a tourist spending money in our countries. It's americans who are among the nicest people I've met. You suck at politics, but you're nice. Even your tourists aren't as bad as people say.

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