Hey it’s my second day in Japan and I was walking around Kokyo Gaien National Garden, it was a lovely day and I went to the park around sunset as I was walking some guy (Japanese) was harassing his daughter (grabbing her arm shoving her shouting at her) and she was crying while her mother was trying to deescalate the situation after a bit the father started walking off ahead all pissed off while the mother was supporting her crying daughter.
I don’t speak any Japanese and don’t know what the reason for his actions and I really wanted to help but I don’t have a Japanese number so I can’t call the police and I couldn’t find any nearby, I also wanted to stop him or even beat him up but was afraid he would hit her harder once they got home if I did that.
What was most concerning is that there were other people in the park and nobody did anything Japanese people that could’ve at least called for the police but no one even reached for their phones.
Ever since I got here everyone has been so helpful and kind so I wonder why no one tried to help her? Is this normal?
https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/comments/15h7mds/is_this_normal/
5 comments
Please understand that I am not accusing the Japanese people or their culture I am simply asking as I have seen something I don’t understand.
Staying out of people’s buisness is normal. Keep your head down and keep moving
No, it is rare to see such incidents. Most people I think globally will stay out of other peoples’ parenting unless they start beating their child (and not just a spanking them or shoving their arm). Perhaps they shouldn’t, perhaps people should be more willing to step in earlier, but in practice that doesn’t happen.
I wouldn’t say that father is normal because I have not seen similar situation although living in Japan more than 2 decades. But people generally stay out of family matter, so in that sense the reaction is normal.
Your reaction is what is not normal. You want to beat them up and you don’t even know what they are arguing about? For grabbing her arm? Lol.
Parents discipline their kids. This may include the occasional smack, spanking, pinch on the arm, or arm grab with a stern scolding, etc. Sure, if they are beating them on the ground to oblivion then that’s not appropriate.