Attack at Kawasaki

I first saw this story on the news the day that it happened, and I was absolutely floored. So many children (and some adults) attacked, some killed, and no apparent motive was an incident that I would never have imagined hearing about during my time in Japan. But that sense of shock was exactly what made me feel like there was maybe something more to talk about here than just the terribleness of the incident. There are a few things that I feel would be important to discuss in the wake of it.

Firstly, this attack made very clear the contrast of this reality with the typical view of Japan as a ridiculously safe country where this kind of thing doesn't happen. Many common practices within Japanese society reflect this: parents let their children walk to and from school by themselves from a young age, people leave their bags at their seats while they go use the restrooms, people leave their cars idling in parking lots with the keys in the ignition. And this isn't to say that because of this one occurrence Japan is no longer a safe country or that those practices are foolish - I still feel that Japan is a safer place than most, and those practices reflect the trust that Japan's comparative level of safety provides its people - but Japan isn't invulnerable to violence and malevolence. Japan's exceedingly low crime rate (about 0.3 per 100,000 population, though those numbers may be somewhat under-reported) make it easy to forget that crime still does happen. Now, I don't think this particular attack could have been stopped with a simple heightened awareness of the possibility of crime (more on that later), but there are some instances where this image of safety may contribute to other areas of crime. A Tofugu article on safety in Japan (https://www.tofugu.com/japan/safety-in-japan/) discusses the cases of multiple foreign women who have been harassed and attacked in broad public daylight, pointing out that these attacks often are not recorded or dealt with if the attacker manages to get away so that the area can report a lower crime rate. It also mentions that it can be very easy for people to let their guard down when they feel they can rely on that super-low crime rate. This is in no way meant to imply that crimes are the fault of the victim for not being wary, or that being paranoid is the way to go, but the harsh reality is that criminals will take advantage of the opportunities provided by the sense of security -  and often also the non-confrontational mindset - that people often carry in Japan.

Another idea that articles in connection with this story highlighted for me was the (seemingly recurring) theme of mental health stigma and social isolation in Japan. Here is where I think the root of the Kawasaki attack lies. Through research I found articles detailing more about what the life of the man behind the stabbings was like, and a lot of it seemed pretty in line with the lives of other people who have committed mass stabbings in recent Japanese history. The perpetrator, named Iwasaki, was 51 years old and living with his elderly aunt and uncle. Both relatives had expressed concern over Iwasaki becoming a hikikomori, as he had not worked for quite a while and was becoming a socially isolated. Iwasaki stayed in his room, only coming out to eat the meals that his aunt would prepare and leave in the fridge for him alone. When his aunt and uncle wrote him a letter expressing their concerns and left it outside his door, he snapped at his aunt, saying "how dare you say that I am a social recluse." More articles uncovered some details about his childhood, stating that
he went to live with his aunt and uncle after his parents divorced, he was troubled, violent, bullied at school, and quick to lose his temper. A lot of these traits and factors seem suggestive of some developing mental health issues, and it doesn't seem that he ever received help with them. Of the four other stabbings listed in this article by The Conversation (http://theconversation.com/despite-japans-low-crime-rates-its-seen-a-number-of-mass-stabbings-in-the-past-decade-117910), three of the perpetrators expressed wishes of wanting to die and showed signs of being severely depressed. People shrouded in these dark thoughts and not getting help seems to be the theme of these indiscriminate mass-attacks. The stigma towards mental illness and hikikomori and the resulting lack of attention and care doesn't excuse the horrific acts carried out by these people, but it does contribute to their occurrence.