is it too unsafe to go to japan?

[bluepxl]

i've been planning for almost 6 months now to go to japan this summer, mostly tokyo... and i'm only a few weeks away from buyin my ticket.

but now my old man is telling me he doesn't want me to go. he keeps warning me that it is too dangerous as an american right now. he reminded me of back in the 80s and other times when terrorists have bombed subways in japan. also with situations in n. korea tensing up, he's afraid that i may go and never return. he thinks i should wait until it all blows over with iraq... but how do i know when that will be? the person i will be staying with all summer is moving to america this fall. so, come next summer, i don't know anyone else i could stay with. i'm restless and i want to travel the whole world, i just wish these crazy people didn't hate americans... whatever it is it's not my fault!

my plan was to fly into seoul, stay there for 3 days (don't ask), then fly into tokyo and stay there for about 4 weeks. i feel like i have to do this while i'm still young, because i don't want to wait until after my friend moves to america, and having no place to stay i have to wait a few more years until i can find another way, and just end up never going because i end up getting so busy with life here. bla, i'm not going to worry about all that,.,.. but i'm just saying, it seems to happen to a lot of people who wanted to travel and never ended up doing so.

think it should be dangerous as an american to go anywhere? seems to me like the whole world is dangerous, and always has been...

[gomichild]

You summed it up right - it's dangerous everywhere right now. Technically speaking. I wouldn't say that you in danger for just being an American though here. The rest of us FG's run around the same as always. The thing with terrorism is that you never know when or where something is going to happen. Lots of people thought they would be safe in Bali, right?

I don't know of any FG's who are moving back to their home countries because NK is chucking things into the Sea of Japan. We are just getting on with our lives as usual. I would say go and have a good time.

[bluepxl]

ya, and one thing i know is, i don't intend to hang out in popular foreigner spots, ie terrorist targets.

but ya, i don't see how anywhere else is any more safe than being in america. no one expects anything to happen and it can happen anywhere!

[ramchop]

You summed it up right - it's dangerous everywhere right now.

Bollocks.

It's not dangerous everywhere right now. I'd say it'd be less dangerous for you in Tokyo than it would be in Houston.

It's common for those with a fear of flying to be mocked with the arguement "you're more likely to get killed in a car crash". I'd say you're more likely to get killed in a plane crash than by a terrorist.

[bluepxl]

I'd say it'd be less dangerous for you in Tokyo than it would be in Houston.

hehehe... yeah, probably so... but since i'm an american and also flying into seoul, my dad is afraid i'd be a target.. are americans targets in this region, especially lately in these tense times of war?

[Andocrates]

That's really over-reacting, maybe he has some other agenda - like he'll miss you. There isn't an American who gets killed by a terrorist that doesn't make headline news for weeks, so it just doesn't happen that often. Getting killed in your own hometown by a mugger is something I'd worry about, getting killed in Japan isn't even on the radar.

[bluepxl]

i agree, that's why i said everywhere in the world can be dangerous. but some places may be more specific targets for americans, i suppose.

how about seoul, being just south of north korea? should that be any concern for an american?

[GomiGirl]

I know people in Seoul now and they haven't really noticed anything different than before. I live in Tokyo and haven't noticed any changes except for the topics discussed around the water cooler..

I would suggest that you don't wear an "I love George W" t-shirt (because people like me would slap you) but otherwise there is nothing to fear.

[grandmastergaijin]

It's not dangerous everywhere right now. I'd say it'd be less dangerous for you in Tokyo than it would be in Houston.

I would take Tokyo over any major city in the States right now. Your parents are just being parents and worrying.

[American Oyaji]

During the time of the Gulf war, it was more dangerous to be a black man in the inner city than to be a soldier in the U.S. military in the war.

Danger is ALWAYS relative.

I say go. I plan on going back in June if I can swing it.

[40 Fl. oz.]

no its not safe so dont come