Japan’s freedom

Hello, I am currently living in america, and I really like japan, and I was wondering:

What is japan's freedom like,

Is it like america's or what

I might live in japan someday, so I'd like to know

Tell me what there freedoms and what they can't do.

I'm from the US and I currently live in Japan. I would say that it is more or less exactly the same.

The first thing to affect you will probably be that the drinking age is lower (20), and the smoking age is higher (also 20).

Japan is an open democratic country similar to the United States.

You have freedom of speech, religion etc.

Pretty much its the same, of course like in the USA or any other democratic country, freedom is limited as well, you have the freedom of speech, but you can't yell FIRE in a crowded room, this is obvious for safety reasons both in Japan and in the USA and pretty much anywhere else in the world.

Racism is a bit more prevelent and accepted in Japan then it is in America.

Also, non-Japanese people are sometimes discriminated from things like getting a job or buying housing.

Fire? I thought this is about wolves? ;)

Seriously, can you get problems with the authorities by yelling "fire, fire" in the USA?
I mean, as long as no-one calls the fire-department or sets an alarm loose, there shouldn't be any real harm.

Of course I won't argue about it being a stupid and silly thing to say when there's no reason. :)

In Germany some security experts seem to hold the opinion that it's better to yell "fire" instead of "help" or so if you need attention because of an emergency/crime/rape/...
I haven't yelled anything of that kind yet in public, and I won't try to as long as I"m in Japan. ^^

I don't like the word freedom, because there are no free people, we are always bound by something, even if it is only our own mind. :)
It's a nice concept though, but nothing more than utopic. :)

Racism is a bit more prevelent and accepted in Japan then it is in America.

Also, non-Japanese people are sometimes discriminated from things like getting a job or buying housing.


In terms of racism I wouldn't say that it is MORE prevalent, rather AS prevalent, but it does seem more institutionalized and accepted. However, I would say that isn't usually meant with hurtful intentions rather more towards pointing out the differences between Japanese and others ethnic groups.

Seriously, can you get problems with the authorities by yelling "fire, fire" in the USA?
I mean, as long as no-one calls the fire-department or sets an alarm loose, there shouldn't be any real harm.

It is illegal to cause a public panic. You can get in trouble for yelling fire in a crowded public area when there is no actual danger involved because you yelling fire could cause people to panic and get injured in the process.

For example you are in a crowded movie theater and start yelling fire. People will scramble to get out of the building and people are inevitably going to get hurt or even killed in the process. You would be responsible for their injuries since you started the panic for no reason.