I am not an expert on the subject, but I do not think that the explanation for most of what you see in Japan is explained by “good policing”. There was an excellent article on policing in Japan a few years back that I sadly can not remember the outlet of, but I very much remember a sentence that resonated with my experience in Japan which was along the lines of: “It is not because of the quality of its policing, but rather despite its quality of policing that Japan’s low level of crime is notable”.
Do not get me wrong here, I do think the many police boxes and the fact that you can greet and recognise the face of your local officers on your way home after work at night helps to form a sense of community. But my suspicion is that the truth lies more in the fact that Japan has a culture where people “police” themselves to an almost ridiculous degree in terms of all forms of behaviour. There are of course massive downsides to this kind of social pressure (especially on the level of individuals), but that would be a subject deserving an article in its own right.
It's a combination of cleanliness, social responsibility, and police presence true but I've also heard what happens when there is a disturbance and it's dealt with quickly either by police or conductors. Someone begging on the train is not tolerated at all. Japanese culture views that as an unacceptable imposition by that individual on the other riders. Western culture tends to shame you in the other direction which is its own whole set of insanity.
Maybe we are talking past each other, but I am not so sure you “see” the causation the way it probably is (I am reluctant to call myself an authority even after nearly a decade living in Japan, so take my perspectives with a grain of salt). “Western” societies apply corrections the way you seem to ascribe them to Japan: A strong arm and stern reminder. In Japan, it is instead “soft” and more akin to the stern look your mother gave you back in the day. Begging is not something that happens, not because it is immediately clamped down upon, but because it does not happen in the first place because of “collective social restraint”.
In another comment you wrote: “I don't even want to know my neighbors exist”. Since Japan is a more collectivist society, you will be acutely aware that your neighbours exist at all times. Heck, not only your neighbours, but every individual around you at work, in public, etc. and constantly be reminded by your fellow Japanese that you better “behave” and conform according to the perceived norms or get glared at disapprovingly or – worse – even ostracised. At least to my eyes, this is where you find the source of the societal phenomena you seek – not the police or another central authority.
I spent a month in Japan. Most Japanese people live closer to how Americans live. Low density suburbs and very low density cities. Even in Tokyo you can purchase a small single family home in the suburbs with a driveway for what would be considered a very cheap price by American standards. You would take a 30-45 minute train into Tokyo. They also sound proof the nice condos in downtown really well and you can afford a fairly large two bedroom for around $1500 USD per month. They are also more creative with the dense city space and parking and allow parking on the sidewalk in designated spaces.
One thing that struck me walking around Osaka was a 7-11 that had parking like an American style one would with parking in front.
Driving into Kagoshima (bullet train was out due to landslide so we drove down) you're gonna see basically single family style dwellings all the way down hill into the city where it gets instantly dense but for only about 15 city blocks. Was dead AF at night. In a city like that you can own a car no problem and commute in. And that's how most Japanese live. Don't get it twisted. Japanese folks enjoy privacy as much as anyone else. Tokyo is the exception, not the rule. And even in Tokyo they will go to retreats out in the mountains regularly.
Tokyo is a great model for proper zoning in high density urban areas to prevent high costs but it's not how you live everywhere
From what I can tell, this discussion is drifting beyond what I originally disagreed with in terms of what you wrote: That there is a strong correlation between the effectiveness of policing and what you consider to be desirable properties of Japanese society. Your latest response instead seems to focus on Japanese zoning, population density, etc. Which, while I certainly understand enough to discuss, is not something I introduced into our discussion and I also do not see in your response above how you relate it to our original discussion point either.
I usually only monitor posts for a few hours after I make them, but before I “move on”, you wrote: “And that's how most Japanese live. Don't get it twisted”. That is not a particularly friendly way to respond to a person, especially as I can not see how I anywhere have even hinted towards a suggestion that all Japanese live “on top” of each other. Perhaps you thought my point about “knowing your neighbours” was about privacy? I can assure you that it was not the case (which hopefully becomes apparent if you reread it in that light) and that what I wrote about Japanese society (in my experience) is equally applicable to the large cities and out “in the country”. If you want to dig further into this on your own with me “gone”, there is plenty of reading about “wa” which is pretty much what I describe. Although I fully admit that seeing the implications and complexity of the concept took me many years.
Do not get me wrong here, I do think the many police boxes and the fact that you can greet and recognise the face of your local officers on your way home after work at night helps to form a sense of community. But my suspicion is that the truth lies more in the fact that Japan has a culture where people “police” themselves to an almost ridiculous degree in terms of all forms of behaviour. There are of course massive downsides to this kind of social pressure (especially on the level of individuals), but that would be a subject deserving an article in its own right.
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