First, thank you to everyone abroad who has taken an interest in Japan and come to love it. I truly believe that everyone reading this blog is, at heart, a genuinely wonderful person. If all of you get to enjoy your trip to Japan, that makes me very happy. And thank you, always, for reading this blog.
A Difficult Topic: Crime and Inconsiderate Behavior by Some Foreign Visitors to Japan
The following article discusses crimes and other serious problems involving some foreign visitors to Japan, an issue that has been receiving increasing attention in recent years.
This may be an uncomfortable topic for some readers. If you would rather not read about it, please feel free to move on to another article.
Recently, there was a report that the Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested two Chilean nationals in connection with the theft of wristwatches worth approximately ¥200 million from a watch store in Nakano Broadway, Tokyo, on August 25, 2025. According to reports, the two men had entered Japan as tourists, visited the store beforehand to look around, and later carried out the theft.
Shoplifting involving foreign visitors has also become a concern in some areas. There have been videos circulating online showing foreign visitors entering small shops, picking up merchandise, acting as though they do not understand Japanese, and leaving without paying. Some of these incidents appear to have been deliberate rather than simple misunderstandings.
There have also been a growing number of complaints on social media about inconsiderate behavior, such as blocking train aisles with large pieces of luggage or leaving unwanted suitcases at airports when returning home instead of making appropriate arrangements for them.
Why This Matters
Japan’s reputation for safety, cleanliness, punctuality, and honesty did not happen by accident. These qualities have been built over many years through education, social expectations, self-discipline, and a shared awareness of how our actions affect other people.
Japan has traditionally welcomed visitors from overseas. For many years, foreign tourists were relatively uncommon, and people often viewed their presence with curiosity and hospitality. However, as international tourism has grown dramatically, some local communities are beginning to feel that this relationship is changing.
Of course, this is not about saying that all foreign visitors behave this way. The vast majority of tourists come to Japan to enjoy the country, respect local customs, and have a positive experience. The concern is specifically about people who knowingly disregard the law or repeatedly ignore the impact of their behavior on those around them.
There is also a deeper, spiritual way of looking at this.
When someone steals, they are not only taking something that belongs to another person. They are also choosing to disregard the value of their own Soul.
When we repeatedly act dishonestly, break promises, mistreat people, bully others, use violence, or force our beliefs upon others, we gradually create wounds within the vessel of our Soul.
Every action leaves an imprint on the Soul.
When we act with honesty, kindness, compassion, self-control, and consideration for others, the Soul becomes brighter and stronger. When we repeatedly choose actions that hurt others or disregard their dignity and rights, the Soul gradually becomes clouded and wounded.
You could think of your Soul as living within a spiritual vessel. The choices you make throughout your life shape that vessel. Treating yourself and others with care keeps it clear and radiant, while destructive actions gradually tarnish it.
As these choices accumulate, we may eventually lose the natural radiance of our Soul. It may become clouded, darkened, or even feel as though cracks and holes have formed within it.
This is where the idea of the “law of attraction” comes in. According to this spiritual concept, what we put out into the world tends to resonate with and attract similar energy. A Soul that has lost its radiance may consequently attract experiences that reflect that state, while a Soul filled with kindness, gratitude, and positive energy may attract experiences that resonate with those qualities.
This is not intended as a religious teaching. It is simply a spiritual way of looking at the connection between our actions, our state of mind, and the experiences we create in our lives.
If you want to be blessed with financial abundance and live a happy life, then from the perspective of the law of attraction, keeping the vessel of your Soul clear and radiant may help you move much closer to your dreams.
We have the ability to control our own actions.
No matter what circumstances you are facing, you always have a choice in how you treat other people.
For your own happiness, and for the happiness of your family, please do not knowingly do things that would hurt, diminish, or tarnish your own beautiful Soul.
Your Soul is something precious. Treat it with care.