Travelers in Japan criticised for lack of manners after ‘feet on seat’ go viral
A growing trend of inappropriate passenger behavior on Japanese public transportation has reached the point where it is being reported on the evening news.
The Fuji Television networks evening news show “Live News It!” recently discussed social media posts depicting individuals disregarding basic travel etiquette.
These social media posts have ignited discussions in Japan about public decorum and a growing lack of respect for fellow travelers.
The most recent incident reported in Japan involved a passenger on a Shinkansen bullet train traveling from Shin-Osaka Station to Shin-Yokohama Station.
The incident was brought to light by a man, known for his appearances on the popular martial arts reality show “Breaking Down”, who shared an image of another passenger resting their bare feet on the armrest of the seat in front of them.
The photograph depicted crossed legs extending over the armrest, encroaching on the space of the passenger seated ahead.
The poster described his shock upon discovering the intrusive behavior, stating:
“I had a reserved seat on the Shinkansen, but after a while, I suddenly felt something was wrong. When I looked behind me, I saw that someone’s legs were sticking out over the armrest. I was shocked”.
The offending passenger, reportedly a man in his 40s, continued this behavior for a significant portion of the journey.
Public reaction to the shared image has been overwhelmingly negative. Comments from individuals who viewed the post echoed sentiments of disgust and frustration.
This incident is unfortunately not isolated, as similar cases have surfaced on social media, highlighting a pattern of disrespectful behavior on public transportation.
Other examples of travel etiquette breaches have been reported on trains and at airports.
A photograph taken on March 25th aboard a JR Keiyo Line train showed a woman resting her feet on a pink suitcase:
The same group of foreign travelers were also reported as having blocked the doors of the train with their luggage.
Sixteen Japanese railway companies have also joined together to run a promotional campaign that seeks to remind travelers to be respectful, asking them not to harass or abuse their staff.
In some extreme cases, incidents have occurred that have been serious enough to class as assault. One recent example was reported to involve a 70 year old American man and a Japanese schoolgirl.
Other recent incidents involved travelers not obeying Japanese laws when entering the country.
Two separate incidents recently occurred whereby American tourists appeared to bypass U.S. airport security, bringing guns and ammunition into Japan.
One tourist only declared that they had packed a gun in their luggage when attempting to leave Japan on a cruise ship.
The other tourist was arrested at Kansai Airport in Osaka with the police under the impression that they intended to commit a terrorist act at the Osaka-Kansai Expo.
These incidents have prompted calls for increased awareness and consideration of fellow passengers as well as the need to adhere to Japanese cultural values when travelling the country.
Source: FNN
Images: © FNN