Why no LOOTING in Japan?

[Danno 1,228]

Why is there no looting in Japan?

The landscape of parts of Japan looks like the aftermath of World War Two; no industrialised country since then has suffered such a death toll. The one tiny, tiny consolation is the extent to which it shows how humanity can rally round in times of adversity, with heroic British rescue teams joining colleagues from the US and elsewhere to fly out.

And solidarity seems especially strong in Japan itself. Perhaps even more impressive than Japan’s technological power is its social strength, with supermarkets cutting prices and vending machine owners giving out free drinks as people work together to survive. Most noticeably of all, there has been no looting, and I’m not the only one curious about this.

This is quite unusual among human cultures, and it’s unlikely it would be the case in Britain. During the 2007 floods in the West Country abandoned cars were broken into and free packs of bottled water were stolen. There was looting in Chile after the earthquake last year – so much so that troops were sent in; in New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina saw looting on a shocking scale.

Why do some cultures react to disaster by reverting to everyone for himself, but others – especially the Japanese – display altruism even in adversity?

[thelastpetitioner 218]

people are too devastated and busy to survive to care about breaking in stores and getting free food and such.plus like you mention people acknowledge each others needs and keeping the spirit of solidarity

Edited March 14, 2011 by thelastpetitioner

[Obama 2012 1,714]

The Japanese are probably some of the mostly humble people in the world.

The lack of crime in a time like this is not surprising at all.

people are too devastated and busy to survive to care about breaking in stores and getting free food and such.plus like you mention people acknowledge each others needs and keeping the spirit of solitude

as the article mentions... Did you see NOLA in '05?

[thelastpetitioner 218]

The Japanese are probably some of the mostly humble people in the world.

The lack of crime in a time like this is not surprising at all.

as the article mentions... Did you see NOLA in '05?

maybe it has something to do with peoples relationship with government

you know a wise man during katrina said :" george bush hates black people.". while it was a bit of exaggeration,thats what most of the people thought.

[_Simpson_ 250]

The Japanese are probably some of the mostly humble people in the world.

The lack of crime in a time like this is not surprising at all.

maybe it has something to do with peoples relationship with government

you know a wise man during katrina said :" george bush hates black people.". while it was a bit of exaggeration,thats what most of the people thought.

A bit of exaggeration? There is no truth to it all but its scary to think how many people believed it to be totally true.

Edited March 14, 2011 by _Simpson_

[thelastpetitioner 218]

A bit of exaggeration? There is no truth to it all but it was scary to think how many people believed it to be totally true.

its true in the sense that katrina disaster could have been handled differently.the government was too slow and it made people feel neglected and forgotten hence the high crime rate during that time

[Obama 2012 1,714]

maybe it has something to do with peoples relationship with government

you know a wise man during katrina said :" george bush hates black people.". while it was a bit of exaggeration,thats what most of the people thought.

that's what 'most' ignorant pieces of ####### from NOLA thought.

NOLA always has been a trash city and Katrina opened the rest of the world's eyes to that.

Let me see, a bunch of people saying 'gimme gimme gimme' from the government and the government not putting up the anty immediately... funny really.

Of course, let's ignore the floods in Iowa where the people weren't screwing each other over. OR let's look to Mississippi who got hit even worse than Louisiana by Katrina and those people's reaction. Nope, no where near the way the NOLA trash acted. No where near asking for the gubermint to do everything for them.

[thelastpetitioner 218]

that's what 'most' ignorant pieces of ####### from NOLA thought.

NOLA always has been a trash city and Katrina opened the rest of the world's eyes to that.

Let me see, a bunch of people saying 'gimme gimme gimme' from the government and the government not putting up the anty immediately... funny really.

Of course, let's ignore the floods in Iowa where the people weren't screwing each other over. OR let's look to Mississippi who got hit even worse than Louisiana by Katrina and those people's reaction. Nope, no where near the way the NOLA trash acted. No where near asking for the gubermint to do everything for them.

OP mentioned katrina and how it was new orleans,as an example of how wrong it can go.there have been many situation like this that were handled logically by people.keep in mind there is a huge cultural difference

[_Simpson_ 250]

its true in the sense that katrina disaster could have been handled differently.the government was too slow and it made people feel neglected and forgotten hence the high crime rate during that time

I agree the government handled in badly, mostly the local government.

[B_J 2,752]

you know a wise man during katrina said :" george bush hates black people.". while it was a bit of exaggeration,thats what most of the people thought.

1. It's funny who you consider a wise man.

2. Anyone who actually thought that George Bush hated black people was just ignorant.

3. Do some research on George Bush and Africa; specifically humanitarian aid for AIDS and malaria and education. I'm pretty sure those were black people in Africa.

4. There is no number four.

[Danno 1,228]

I agree the government handled in badly, mostly the local government.

But still, I can't imagining if my local or federal Gov not servicing me fast enough and it causing me to loot my neighbors silverware or haul cart loads of DVD's from Wal-mart.

Even the police were doing it.

[thelastpetitioner 218]

1. It's funny who you consider a wise man.

2. Anyone who actually thought that George Bush hated black people was just ignorant.

3. Do some research on George Bush and Africa; specifically humanitarian aid for AIDS and malaria and education. I'm pretty sure those were black people in Africa.

4. There is no number four.

1,2,3,4: your inability to detect sarcasm is HELLA entertaining

[peejay 327]

But still, I can't imagining if my local or federal Gov not servicing me fast enough and it causing me to loot my neighbors silverware or haul cart loads of DVD's from Wal-mart.

Even the police were doing it.

But it's not their fault that they are the way they are. Just ask a white liberal and they will explain it all to you.

[B_J 2,752]

1,2,3,4: your inability to detect sarcasm is HELLA entertaining

Ohhh, those were jokes.

Except not funny.

OP mentioned katrina and how it was new orleans,as an example of how wrong it can go.there have been many situation like this that were handled logically by people.keep in mind there is a huge cultural difference

But back to the original topic. I think you're right, the cultural difference is probably the real reason for the lack of looting.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

But still, I can't imagining if my local or federal Gov not servicing me fast enough and it causing me to loot my neighbors silverware or haul cart loads of DVD's from Wal-mart.

Even the police were doing it.

During the Rodney King riots in LA, a lot of looting was going on, the same in Seattle in regards to the WTO protest and also in New Orleans after Katrina. Looting during those events was by done by (insert answer here if you already know it).