This Is What Honesty Looks Like in Japan

Losing a wallet or phone in Japan does not necessarily mean losing it forever. Tokyo has remarkably high recovery rates for lost belongings. According to figures cited in the report, in 2018 the Tokyo Metropolitan Police returned 73% of lost ID cards, 83% of mobile phones and 65% of wallets to their owners. Japan’s network of easily accessible neighborhood police stations, known as koban, plays an important role in helping people report and recover lost property.

Experts also attribute this culture of honesty to long-standing social values and community habits. Children are encouraged from an early age to hand in lost items, even small amounts of money, helping establish a strong sense of civic responsibility. Concepts associated with patience, consideration for others and social harmony, along with Buddhist and Shinto influences, are often cited as contributing factors. The same collective spirit was widely observed after the 2011 tsunami, when reports of looting were extremely rare.