Crime against geeks sparks knife-carrying trend

[R.A. Hettinga]

<http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/06/20/1957108.htm?section=world>

- ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Crime against geeks sparks knife-carrying trend

By Tokyo correspondent Shane McLeod

Posted Wed Jun 20, 2007 5:17pm AEST
Updated Wed Jun 20, 2007 5:33pm AEST


In the maid cafes of Akihabara, otaku can receive foot massages or have
their ears cleaned by women dressed as maids (File photo).

A new trend in Japan could be mocked as the country's "revenge of the
nerds", if it were not so serious.

Police in Tokyo's electronics district, Akihabara, have become alarmed at
the number of what they call 'geeky types' found to be carrying knives.

It seems that the much-put-upon fans of comics and computer games have
decided they are sick of being bullied and are not going to take it any
more.

Tokyo's electronics district has spawned a culture all its own: the
so-called otaku - literally, obsessive nerds - who have made Akihabara
their spiritual home.

They are the regulars in stores that sell comics, computer games and
collectible dolls - and everything in between.

Akihabara also has maid cafes, where any otaku can be master of his own
domain and be served coffee or receive a foot massage or ear cleaning by a
woman wearing a maid's outfit.

But Akihabara's growing fame as nerd heaven has also brought its downside,
as Tokyo's criminals have gambled that it does not take much to part a
spotty-faced comic buyer from his cash.

Takashi Kogure is the president of the local neighbourhood association.

"There are many small but expensive things," he says.

"So people come carrying lots of money, and the crimes are happening with
outsiders targeting outsiders."

Last year, police became worried amidst reports of what became known as
'otaku hunting'. In two separate cases, young men were beaten up by thugs,
and appeared to have been targeted because they looked 'otaku'.

In one case, the victim was robbed of more than $A400 in cash, on the same
day of the launch of a popular new computer game console.

But police are also worried about the otaku response.

They have reported a five-fold increase in the number of people found
carrying illegal knives, and believe that otaku are doing so in
self-defence.

Riko, wearing a green velvet and white lace maid's outfit, is spruiking for
a maid-themed reflexology salon and says she has friends who have started
carrying knives for their own protection.

"If you're talking self-defence, then yes, I have heard of people who carry
knives for self defence," she said.

"They do it because they're scared of crime.

"I've seen it myself, I have many friends who carry knives."

That comes amidst increasing crime overall in Akihabara. The figures are
worrying Mr Kogure, but he also believes the reports may be overstated.

"The form of crime has changed - for example, in the old days, nobody
carried a knife," he said.

"The type of people who come to Akihabara has changed, and since young
people started to come we've been having those kinds of things happen.

"In the past the purpose to come here was to buy electrical products.

"But now they come to maid cafes, or to come and buy computer game
software. Young people never used to come here much before."

Police say they are stepping up street patrols to reduce street crime, but
they are also warning otaku that even if they do pluck up the courage, they
should not take matters into their own hands.


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R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah at ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'