I had a similar impression of Japan when I lived there. The only thieves or violent criminals are the truly deviant people, including the yakuza (gangsters) and the bosozoku (youth bike gangs, often the children of yakuza).
Apart from those groups, one is in almost no danger of having anything stolen or of being a victim of any violence.
Even the yakuza and bosozoku will generally leave you alone. And the only time I or my friends had any confrontations with them, there was more bluster and shouting and tough-boy posturing than any danger.
The other danger is from the occasional sociopath / psychopath. But even they are usually not malicious or malevolent. They're just sick.
(An interesting note: When I lived in Singapore, some of my office mates were Japanese women. They told me that they felt safer in Singapore than in Japan. Primarily because there is that small percentage of Japanese psychopath that just might be lurking somewhere in the dark.)
Really interesting about the Japanese women in Singapore. Thanks for your engaging commentary. Really enjoyed reading this and agree with pretty much everything you've written. Cheers!
I always say Japan is very safe for men (particularly adults), but much less so for women/girls. Know lots of people who have been harassed/assaulted.
Right. Now that I read that, I realize that is probably so.
Even if it's not actually "dangerous" for women, it is in many ways unpleasant. Think of all the chikan and hentai scumballs, and the soft porn in comic books for young boys.
Definitely not a society in which women would feel safe and secure.