On July 12, 2023, David and I went on a date at a local theater. We’ve been married for over 51 years but, every so often, we still enjoy going on dates – especially when there is a special movie worth watching right away at a theater instead of waiting for it to become available on DVD.
The story told through “Sound of Freedom” is unimaginable for someone like me who had a “relatively” normal childhood, protected by not only my parents but also the larger society in Japan. In fact, here is just one example of how safe Japan was at the time and, perhaps, still is for the most part.
When sober, my father was a decent human being; when intoxicated, he was not. One evening, I was fed up with him who was already drunk and, as usual, talking nasty. He got on my nerves. I blurted out something, got up, and darted out of the house. This was in the evening. I was around 19 years old.
Soon, in the dark, I caught a taxicab. The driver was concerned about my having left home in anger. He listened to me, calmed me down, and asked if he could take me back to my parents. I said, “No way. I’m not going back there.” He kept on driving slowly and talking to me. In retrospect, his sole motive was to get me home safely. I remained stubborn, however.
Finally, he asked if I had a friend with whom I could stay the night. A lightbulb went on in my head and I said, “Yes.” So, he took me to my girlfriend’s apartment. She and I were college classmates at the time.
The taxi driver refused to accept the money that I owed him for the ride. Instead, he asked me to promise him to contact my mother as soon as possible. So, the next day, when I knew my father would be at work, I contacted my mother and told her where I was so that she would not have to worry about me. I made it clear to her, however, that I had no intention of coming home.
Unlike in the U.S.A., where people come from all over the world, Japan remains basically a closed society. As a result, most Japanese adhere to the behavioral expectations of the rest of society, making it one of the safest countries in the world. Potential criminals must think twice about the “shame” their actions will bring not only to themselves but to their family members. This is a strong psychological deterrent against crimes.
That said, I do remember my parents reminding me not to trust strangers by often quoting a Japanese saying, “When you see a stranger, consider him/her to be a thief.” Well, that night, I got lucky with an angel of a taxi driver who, of course, was a stranger.
My childhood at home was not exactly an easy one because, often, my father and I did not see eye to eye, especially when he was drunk in the evening. By the same token, to be sure, I was under the constant protection of my parents. And crime was, and still is, extremely rare in Japan. Unlike the situation depicted in the “Sound of Freedom,” I never faced anything remotely close to what the estimated 2 – 5 million children experience each year in the rest of the world, being kidnapped to be trafficked as sex slaves.
Half a century ago, about the time I left Japan to come to the U.S.A. as a newlywed, kidnapping of children was so rare that when it did happen, it made national news. The media coverage lasted daily, hoping the child would be found and rescued safely. Sadly, the victim was eventually found murdered. The entire country mourned his death.
Despite some serious frustrations I experienced growing up, in retrospect, they were mere family squabbles. To be sure, that was nothing compared to being abducted by complete strangers and sold for sex trafficking or, worse, murdered.
