There are an endless number of stupid ways to get arrested as a tourist in Japan. You could, for example, punch out a woman on the streets of Roppongi. Or urinate on a shrine. But a British man found a unique new way to get arrested: failing to pay for a plastic bag from a convenience store.
(Well, okay – that, plus assault.)
Hokkaido News UHB (via Yahoo! News JP) reports that the 48-year-old man of British nationality was arrested for assault. The man allegedly walked out of a combini in the city of Sapporo after he paid for his items at a self-checkout but then grabbed a plastic bag without paying the required three yen for it. Japan has mandated a small fee for plastic bags at stores since 2020.
A clerk in his 40s tried to chase the man down to tell him he needed to pay for the bag. That’s when the tourist allegedly punched the clerk in the face.
Apparently, there aren’t so many British tourists in Sapporo that they can blend into a crowd. After the clerk reported the alleged crime, police apprehended the alleged assailant.
For his part, the accused denies punching the man. “My hand may have struck his face while I pushed him aside,” he asserted.
It’s unclear why our tourists thought that shoving or hitting someone was a more appropriate response than just, you know, pulling three yennies – a full 0.02 British pounds – out of his pocket.
Sapporo police say they are investigating the incident.
Why this page doesn't look like crap
You may notice a few things about this page. First, it’s mostly content – not ads. Second, this article was written by a human, not a plagiaristic Turing machine.
Unseen Japan is a collective of independent authors. We work hard to keep our content free of intrusive ads and AI slop.
Help us keep it that way. Donate to the Unseen Japan Journalism Fund to support our work. Regular donors will receive Insider, our paid newsletter with weekly bonus content about Japan. Plus, your contribution will help us produce more content like this.
What to read next
Tokyo’s Sento Are Opening Their Arms to Foreign Tourists
Tokyo and the Tokyo Sento Association want more tourists (tattooed or otherwise!) to experience this aspect of traditional Japanese culture.
Ryokan vs. Hotels: Inside Japan’s Unique Accommodation Culture
Should you stay in a “modern” hotel or a more “traditional” ryokan in Japan? Here’s what to consider when deciding.
Japan’s Lodging Taxes Grow as It Combats Overtourism, Fuels Growth
In order to fuel tourism investment and combat overtourism, close to 100 locales are considering new lodging taxes. How will this affect your trip?
