It is not uncommon to hear of grisly, high-profile crimes occurring here in Japan. Take for example the recent killing spree in Akihabara where a knife-totting man ran down innocent pedestrians and then began stabbing those around him. This shocking event hit the media like an avalanche, sparking intensified fears of crimes that tug at the very foundations of the perceived stability of Japanese society.

The Akihabara murders and other high-profile crimes tend to plague the Japanese media for months. Saturation coverage involves testimonials from the police, victims and any passersby. Its unsurprising then that if you ask just about any Japanese citizen, they will quickly lament about a recent severe deterioration in values and the quality of society in Japan as a whole.

But does this fear stem from reality? Unlike most developed countries, Japan's crime rates have actually been falling over recent years.

Moreover in a recent article in the Japan Times, the country was ranked as being the 5th most peaceful in the world. Beyond crime, this ranking took into account factors such as the number of external and internal wars, the level of respect for human rights, and the import and export of weapons. In fact Japan sat behind countries such as Norway, New Zealand, Denmark and Ireland; and was the only G8 country to make the top 10.

So if in reality Japan is a relatively safe country, why is there such a high level of fear among its citizens?

The existence of a culture of fear, perpetrated by intense media coverage, is not a concept unique to Japan. However, the Japanese have for some reason internalized this fear of crime and violence at a much greater level than seen in other countries. Thus, while Japan has one of the lowest victimization rates (number of crimes committed versus the total population) in the world, the International Crime Victim Surveys (ICVS) shows that its population exhibits one of the highest levels of fear.

During the late 1990's, there were a large number of police scandals in Japan, which gained much press coverage. The result was that the competence of the Japanese police in conducting investigations was called into question.

The response of the police was to change their reporting of crimes to include more instances of 'trivial' crime. This change in policy caused a dramatic increase in reported crime over a relatively short time. The media story quickly became one of a 'drastic rise in crime,' with high-profile crimes such as homicide fitting into a larger narrative. For Japan's citizens this narrative has become one of this rise in reported crime signaling a weakening of the Japanese society as a whole, resulting an intensification of fears.

The response of the Japanese government has been to investigate the crime figures. In fact, general statistics on actual crimes have shown year-on-year falls since the surge in the late 1990's. But the Japanese government noted that there may be a disconnect between the levels of actual crime and reported crime. This prompted the authorities to look at other countries, such as the U.K., where statistical data from the police is compared with citizen surveys in order to help paint a more accurate picture.

With 24/7 coverage of high-profile crimes, coupled with the more global news being dominated by war and terrorism, natural disasters and economic worries, its not surprising that that the Japanese try to explain their fears through perceived changes in their society. Indeed general feelings of a deterioration of values, the erosion of family and community structures, a widening gap between the rich and poor and so on, are common sentiments. But both the high levels of safety in Japan and the reaction to media coverage of crime links to a more fundamental aspect of the Japanese psyche.

Japan's culture is known to be a 'group culture' i.e. it is one where an individual is judged less by their personal accomplishments, but relatively more by how they fit in with their various groups (including family, friends, work, school, etc). The Japanese place great importance both on their obligations towards, and the support they derive, from these various groups. A key behavioral driver for the Japanese is therefore the avoidance of bringing shame to themselves, and hence on to their group - the very people they rely on. Because of this, individuals tend to be much more compliant in following the law and norms do not want to 'stand out' in the crowd.

On a lighter note, a recent article in the New York Times, highlighted how some innovative Japanese have created new ways to protect themselves from crime.

A fashion designer from Tokyo came up with the idea of an outfit that disguises the wearer as a vending machine for soft drinks! Vending machines are very common throughout Japan, so in theory a vending machine suit allows the wearer to blend in safely with the environment.

While this design was clearly made as a bit of fun, it does further illustrate a typically Japanese attitude towards security issues. Thus, while in the West the response to threats on the street is to empower victims (by carrying pepper spray, learning self-defense, etc.), the Japanese would rather find a way to escape from what might be a potentially embarrassing scene.

Of course too much media coverage of this type of product might stir new fears of criminals dressed up as vending machines... lurking around the next corner. May be when it comes to these irrational fears you can never win!