Safety in Japan

Crime rates: You can walk almost anywhere at any hour of the night without a worry. It is very common to see people leave their bags on chairs to save a spot while they go to order their food.
Natural events: Earthquakes happen frequently, but the buildings are built to sway with the movement. If you feel one, stay calm and follow the emergency instructions that will appear on your phone.
Summer heat: July and August are brutal months with very high humidity levels. Drink plenty of water from the ubiquitous vending machines to avoid heatstroke while you are out exploring the city.
Police boxes: Small koban stations are found near every major train hub and neighborhood. Go there if you get lost or lose an item; the officers are incredibly helpful to visitors and very patient.
Hospital costs: Medical care is excellent but will cost you a small fortune without the right protection. Make sure your personal policy covers international incidents before you start your journey.
Emergency drills: You might see locals practicing for disasters in public spaces. It is taken very seriously by everyone, so just be respectful and stay out of the way during a scheduled drill.

Japan is one of the few countries where almost nobody is out to cheat a tourist, but two schemes run reliably.

Touts in Kabukicho. In Shinjuku and Roppongi, men on the street offer a "good bar with a discount". Inside, the bill climbs past 100,000 yen, and the people at the door are not interested in your objections. The rule is simple: never enter a venue you were invited into from the street. Legitimate bars do not use touts.

Fake monks. Near Sensoji in Asakusa and around other major temples, "monks" in robes slip a bracelet onto your wrist and ask for a donation. Real Buddhist monks in Japan do not solicit money from passers-by.

Taxis, shops and markets are entirely honest — you never need to recount your change. The real threat to your wallet is not fraud but the number of places that still take cash only.

Medicines are the main trap. Japan bans the import of drugs sold freely elsewhere. Pseudoephedrine is prohibited — that covers most cold remedies including Sudafed and the Vicks inhaler — along with codeine and amphetamines, including prescribed Adderall. This is enforced: the medication is seized and the traveller can be detained. If you need a prescription drug, apply for a Yakkan Shoumei certificate in advance. It is free and handled by email.

Drugs. Zero tolerance. Grams bring prison sentences, and neither your nationality nor ignorance of the law counts as mitigation.

Everyday fines. Smoking while walking is banned across much of central Tokyo and Osaka — use the marked smoking areas or pay about 2,000 yen. Cycling under the influence is treated like drink-driving and is a criminal offence. Drinking alcohol in public, on the other hand, is perfectly legal.

On detention. Japanese law allows detention for up to 23 days without charge, and a confession is treated as the decisive piece of evidence. If you are detained, ask for your consulate immediately and sign nothing written in Japanese.

Vaccinations. None required, and no certificates are checked on entry. For long summer stays in rural areas, ask your doctor about Japanese encephalitis — a rare but serious mosquito-borne infection.

Water and food. Tap water is drinkable nationwide, including in the mountains. Raw fish and raw egg are safe here; they are part of the food culture, not a gamble.

Healthcare. Excellent and brutally expensive. A consultation without insurance runs 10,000–30,000 yen, a night in hospital from 50,000. No policy is needed for the visa, but one bad day without one wipes out the budget for the whole trip.

Heat. July and August bring 35°C at nearly 80 percent humidity, and heatstroke is a mass phenomenon — ambulance services run at capacity. Vending machines are on every corner; use them rather than economising.

Japan ranks 18th in the world on the Corruption Perceptions Index — street-level bribery simply does not exist. Offering money to an officer is a separate crime, not a way to settle a problem.

Koban. These small police boxes sit by every major station and in every neighbourhood. Go there if you are lost, have lost something, or need advice. Officers help willingly, often walk you to the address, and are patient with gestures.

Lost property. A forgotten wallet or phone will almost certainly be handed in at the nearest koban or station desk. Lost-and-found works better here than anywhere in the world.

If you are stopped. Police may check documents, and you are legally required to carry your passport. Checks most often involve bicycles — bike theft is a widespread problem, so a foreigner on a bicycle may be asked for proof of purchase.