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Japanese tourists ripped-off while visiting Britain

In a follow-up piece about the restaurant in Italy that was shut down for ripping-off Japanese tourists, Leo Lewis of The Times reveals that his own countrymen are the “rip-off kings” of Europe:

The thing is, Japan sends loads of cashed-up tourists around the world, so it gets this sort of thing a lot. So much so, in fact, that the Foreign Ministry has a special department that catalogues and analyses the various ways in which its travelling people are conned, fleeced, insulted and generally ransacked abroad. The 2008 report comes out today and I begged the department for a sneak preview to confirm statistically just how awful those Italians are.

I wish I hadn’t: when it comes to rudeness and rip-offs, Britain turns out to be much, much worse. The vilest place in Europe, in fact.

[hat tip to Mulboyne]

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39 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - August 5, 2009 at 9:50 am

Categories: General Japan Tags: tourism

HamachiMan

Umm, can we have some real life examples?
http://www.wayangtimes.com/ wayangtimes

lol i thought only people in 3rd world or poorer countries such as Thailand or Philipines will rip off tourists.

Aekutopia

Rip off happens everywhere, usually in touristic area, definitely not only in 3rd world country.

In Europe, for example, Italy’s touristic areas are rather notorious, especially for Asian tourists.

Btw, don’t stereotype people in poorer countries. Most of them are not that bad.

The Overthinker

That article doesn’t give a single example.
http://www.hormel.com Vonskippy

What ever happened to “Caveat emptor”? If you’re dumb enough to allow yourself to get ripped off, why were you traveling without your keeper?
adeo

Speaking as a uk citizen i agree entirely, ripping people off seems to have become a national pass-time. but we dont discriminate, everybody is ripped off equally, and at least visitors get to go back to places where service is good and not everything is run by money-grabbing *@$%&#… we have to stay here alas..
Ben CW

Yeah, what gives, there isn’t a single example.
ponta

日本人の被害状況
　特に、スリ、置き引き、路上強盗、ひったくりなどの被害に遭遇しています。
（１）スリ
　ロンドン市内では、日本人を狙ったスリが多発し、特にバスや地下鉄の利用時、エスカレーターの乗り降りの際に被害に遭遇するケースが目立ちます。主な犯行手口は次のとおりです。
犯人グループの1人が、標的とした人物（主に日本人旅行者）のデイパック等のファスナー（又は口金）を開け、別の仲間が中から財布を抜き取り、それをグループ内の者へとリレーし、現金を奪うケース。
地下鉄の中で、犯人グループが標的とした人物（主に日本人旅行者）に対し、故意に身体を接触させたり数人で取り囲み、隙を見てデイパック、ハンドバッグ等のファスナー（又は口金）を開け、中から財布を抜き取るケース（その後の手順は前記に同じ）。
犯人グループの1人が、標的とした人物（主に日本人旅行者）の前で故意に地下鉄路線図などを広げ、最寄り駅や下車したい駅を尋ねつつ、地図で視界を奪いながら、注意をそらしている隙に、別の仲間が財布を抜き取るケース。
犯人グループの1人が、標的とした人物に（主に日本人旅行者）にケチャップを付けて汚れを指摘し、注意を逸らして、その隙に別の仲間が荷物などを盗み取る、いわゆる「ケチャップ・スリ」
http://www.anzen.mofa.go.jp/info/info4_s.asp?id=154

■ ロンドンにおける主な日本人被害事例とその防犯対策は、次の通りです。
【スリ】
ロンドン市内では、日本人を狙ったスリが多発し、特にバスや地下鉄の利用時、エスカレーターの乗り降りの際に被害に遭遇するケースが目立ちます。特に、幼い小綺麗な外国人少女3～4人のグループによる犯行が多発しています。
主な犯行手口は次のとおりです。
* 犯人グループの1人が標的とした人物(主に日本人旅行者)の、デイバッグ等のファスナー(又は口金)を開け、次の仲間1人が中から財布を抜き盗り、それをグループ内の年少者へとリレーし、現金を奪うケース。
* 地下鉄の中で、犯人グループが、標的とした人物(主に日本人旅行者)に対し、故意に身体を接触させたり、数人で取り囲み、隙を見て、デイバッグ、ハンドバッグ等のファスナー(又は口金)を開け、中から財布を抜き盗るケース(その後の手順は前記に同じ)。
* 犯人グループの1人が、標的とした人物(主に日本人旅行者)の前で、故意に地下鉄路線図などを広げ、最寄り駅や下車したい駅を尋ねつつ、地図で視界を奪いながら、注意をそらしている隙に、別の仲間1人が財布を抜き盗るケース。

http://www.otoa.com/support/city_ns_detail.php?area=I&country=GB&city=LON&ns=7&code=118

butakun

In UK’s defense, though, the things you quoted happen in every major European cities. I don’t think UK is that much worse. I find it sad, this prevalence of pickpockets in Europe.

ponta po

I don’t mean to blame any country, of course it is better that it doesn’t happen, though.
And foreign tourists might be exploited in Japan.(I hope not)

The Overthinker

You know, whatever else you can bash Japan for, one thing you cannot do with a straight face is complain it cheats foreign tourists. Prices do not shoot up at the sight of a white face, suspicious persons do not constantly try and sell you fake watches or con you into drinking drug-laced drinks (these things happen, but are not aimed at tourists), taxi drivers will never “take you for a ride” and phony cops don’t try and extract bribes. And anyone who comes up to you when you look lost is not trying a scam on.

Sean

The Japanese are notoriously the most clueless of travellers – mostly a laughing stock and rich pickings to the average city dweller. They usually have a perversely skewed view of how the real world really is. the problem lies with the dumb Japanese education system and ignorant media outlets and not with the poor people who get ripped off abroad.
Japanese make themselves and there luggage easy-pickings.

LB

This comment reminds me of some idiotic American tourists I saw years ago in Kyoto marveling over a Japanese bicycle locked with nothing but that simple little ring-through-the-rear-wheel gizmo. They were wondering aloud: “That’s IT? That’s the lock? Why doesn’t someone just take the bike?”

To which I responded “Because it is not theirs! It ain’t yours, don’t f’in’ touch it!”

Overly simplistic, sure, and lots of bikes get stolen in Japan. But just the idea that there is something wrong with the lock and so somehow the bike deserved to get stolen… Hello?

Sure when traveling abroad you should be careful, but if you let your guard down and get robbed it is your fault? Not the thief’s? Wow. Pardon my French, but that is just serious ignorance.
Aekutopia

You have to get that they come from the safest country in the world.

A

The argument that “If your dumb enough you deserve it” really annoys me.

Why can’t people just try being DECENT and not try and screw someone over.

Perhaps they should just avoid the place altogether if apparently even getting ‘robbed’ doesn’t make you the victim.

The Overthinker

Hey, that woman over there is wearing a sexy dress. She must want me to rape her. It’s all her fault for wearing such a hot dress. Don’t blame me.

http://www.hormel.com VonSkippy

So these tourist traps are FORCING the Japanese tourists to hand over their money?

Do they have a gun or a knife or at least a baseball bat?

No, they sell some product or service for an outrageously high price and the Japanese tourists (aka saps) smile and nod and fork it over (where anyone with a brain would yell for the manager or the police or the press and not only NOT pay, but make a big stink about it).

Hardly the same thing as actually raping a women just because shes in a sexy dress.

The Overthinker

The “blame the victim” stance that is being shown here is precisely like that. You are blaming the victim for their own perceived shortcomings, for a lack of defence.

Ken Aston

Ridiculous comment. The lack of morals of the “average city dweller” in foreign countries is the problem, not being used to people that have morals.
Phil

The UK is one big rip-off even to it’s own, the MP’s take the p*ss, the national rail service is a disgrace, yet the fares go up religiously every year…I could go on.

I’m British and I can’t wait to get out whenever I get the chance.

Richard

Phil,
If you’re considering emigrating to the U.S., medium-sized college towns tend to be pleasant. Many have a well-educated populace, reasonably diverse culture and moderate cost of living. Austin, Texas and Madison, Wisconsin are good places to start looking. The former has hot summers and the latter has cold winters, but are otherwise comfortable.

If you don’t like driving, U.S. cities with decent rail lines tend to be expensive. San Francisco is nice if you can afford it. Boston has its charms. Washington D.C. is a bit of a boom town right now. I don’t care for Chicago very much and New York is not for the squeamish.

The Overthinker

Migrating to the US is not easy. There is a ton of very expensive paperwork. I’d suggest either Australia or New Zealand, although they are not as easy as it might seem.

And the important thing to realise is that once you are there you will find that they probably suck in their own way. To quote Milton’s Lucifer: the mind is its own place, and can make a heaven of hell, or a hell of heaven.

DC

Woudldn’t be British (or, as I suspect, English) if you didn’t continuously whinge and moan about Britain. I suppose it’s better than being bellicose though.

Don’t expect to end up in a Utopia when you eventually jump ship.

riChchestMat

That Tokyo Mango hoax story about that guy who ‘dates’ his cushion with a picture of a cartoon girl on it had way more evidence and information than that Times article.
The Overthinker

If you google “crime against Japanese tourists in London” to see what the UK press is saying, about half the hits on the first page are for “crimes against humanity.” Not helpful.
http://www.joelchu.com joel

I moved to England about 13 years ago. And it’s getting worse every year.

Very simple example. A flip video camera sell for $199 retail.

(Exchange rate at 1:1.6) it is selling for £189 here. OK if you add 15% VAT. That is $230. OK add flight charge let say $20 each. That is $250 = £157

The Overthinker

That is related to tourist crime, how?

hegdemoen

Lots of pick pocketers come from poorer eastern European countries such as Romania, Lithuania etc who happen to be in wealthier western European countries.

Just 10 years ago there were hardly any people from eastern Europe, today though, they are everywhere. From begging in the streets, to contruction workers to what not.

Not saying that eastern Europeans are less humans or whatever, just saying poor people use more desperate tactics to survive.

Ken Aston

Very good point.
The Overthinker

Yeah. I didn’t notice it so much in London, but in Paris the black immigrants are notorious for ripping off tourists.

Starfish

I was visiting London a while ago and when I went to see the Big Ben some lady gave me a flower, told me it’s “children’s day” and asked for a donation to charity. She refused to take coins so I gave her 5£ to get rid of her.
Thinking about it afterwards, that was such an obvious ripoff and I feel pretty stupid about it now. But you just never learn to expect this stuff if it hardly happens in your own country.

Mark

you got ‘chugged’ dude

jmadsen

I worked at the Westminster Abbey for a time, and we would get tourists from all over Europe (not so many Japanese at that time; during the First Gulf War).

This was before the Euro, and they would come in with all sorts of change from every country that the street vendors would pass off as pound coins, “guineas”, whatever.

Take a large note, hand back an assortment of foreign “pennies” as change. The tourists would then come to us and try to use a tiny Greek drachma or something as a pound coin, not understanding they had been ripped off.

If I remember correctly, it was the Spanish that were most gullible.
honey

Latvia’s capital Riga is fed up with unruly British tourists who head to the city for boozy holidays, damaging its reputation among other would-be visitors, its mayor said in an interview published on Tuesday.

Nils Usakovs told the monthly magazine Rigas Laiks that he aimed to attract a wider range of visitors to the picturesque city as the Baltic state tries to battle a deepening recession.

“The only problem is that we have a large share of those British tourists,” said Usakovs.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gSCyQVJJHZ6-u9u_ypsriAiIWvfA

dear japanese you always welcome in Riga.
LondonGaijin

All I can say is the UK/London has had years of practice ripping of its own people…
Yom

http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/oxford-sets-up-fund-for-japanese-student-injured-in-brutal-assault

yay for England
Mat

As someone who has traveled and worked in Japan meeting the most friendly, respectful and helpful people in the world I am deeply ashamed of my country (U.K.) and what they have done to our Japanese cousins. OUR SHAME
Jeff

As anyone here been to London recently? If so, I doubt you’d actually find any real English people living there now.

They’ve all left due to the wonderful enrichment of foreigners..

jony

yep. i saw only rnglish there and you my little racist?

Japanese tourists ripped-off while visiting Britain

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