Safety

Growing up in the United States it was second nature to always keep my children in my sight at all times.  It was just not safe to let them go anywhere alone or even in a group without adult supervision.  To do otherwise would just be bad parenting, right?

Things aren't like that in Japan, though.  Kids are always walking to school by themselves or with friends without a single adult in sight and it is perfectly OK.  Being a teacher in Japan, I've met parents and they are just as loving and caring to their children as American parents are to theirs, so how come it is safe for children to be unattended in Japan but not in America?  Is Japan safer than the US?

Perfect case: recently in Ohio a father was arrested because his 8 year old son was supposed to take the school bus to Sunday school; the school bus that stops right in front of his own house, but because the father didn't watch or escort his 8 year old down the driveway to the bus, he was accused of being a negligent parent and arrested!  At that age, children in Japan are taking the bus and train to school all by themselves and not getting home until after dark.

The fact that your average American would view that scenario as horrifying is a testament to how unsafe America really is.  We live in fear of kidnapping, molestation and rape in the greatest country in the world and act like it is normal.

It's not.

And the funniest thing, Japan is this safe and the citizens are not even allowed to own guns.