[tkgally]

> how few bins there are around

Rubbish bins were common in railway stations and other public places until the sarin terrorist attacks on the Tokyo subway in 1995, after which most were removed for security reasons. Trashcans are a bit more common now than they were in the first few years after those attacks, but they can indeed still be hard to find. Just a couple of days ago, I was surprised to spot a garbage can on the sidewalk on Omotesando. I had a used facemask in my pocket, so I dropped it in.

[smcl]

I think the lack of bins in UK stations is for a similar reason (IRA bombings during the Troubles).

[ghaff]

I've heard the same. You can find trashcans on the street in London these days but my overall perception is they're still not super-common.