Impressed by Japan's lack of theft

I've always been impressed by the low level of theft in Japan. The only things that seem to go missing frequently are bicycles and umbrellas! A co-worker I used to work with had a very interesting theory as to why so many bikes and brolleys go missing. His theory was that the person who takes them doesn't intend to steal them, but that they are borrowing them, usually in a drunken state. And when they wake up next morning they either don't remember "borrowing" your bicycle and / or they are too embarrassed to return it!

Whatever the reason for the high numbers of bicycles go missing, I think we can all agree that overall theft in Japan is a lot less than in other countries. As so many of us have written countless times over the years; there are very few places in the world when you can leave your wallet on the table of a restaurant and return to find it still there, untouched. I really love that about Japan. 

Despite the low level of theft in Japan, there is an "Anti Theft Day" and it is on October 7th annually. The date is a pun on "tonan" which means theft; "10 (to)" and "7 (nan)". The day was registered with the Japan Anniversary Association by the Japan General Insurance Association. The feature photo in this post is of an anti-theft umbrella stand in Japan. You lock it in and you need the key to get it back!