[m463]

Japan has no trash cans. (reaction to the japanese subway attacks)

Returning to the US from japan you notice. Japanese bathrooms don't have trash cans, so no paper towels. In the US, the bathrooms have trash cans overflowing with paper towel waste and it is quite a difference.

[bhelkey]

One thing I noticed is that I tended to accumulate a lot of trash in Japan. Connivence stores were plentiful and the food was tasty, but it was all wrapped in plastic.

Where does all the trash go? More often than not, I ended up carrying trash in a backpack to throw away at my hotel.

[graton]

I would eat the food at the store and then throw the trash away in the store's trash cans.

For things I didn't eat at the store I carried a small plastic bag to store my trash and when I got to my lodging I would throw it away. Also once you go inside the gates of a subway/train station there often seemed to be trash cans available.

[wlonkly]

It's been a while since I visited Japan, but one thing I remember is that people tend to not "walk and eat" there. So you buy your konbini sandwich and sit on the benches in front of the konbini to eat it and throw the packaging out there, or bring it home with you.

[m463]

I did that at first, and ended up carrying around coffee cups and other nonsense.

Gradually I learned to deposit things where I bought them, sometimes politely asking the people behind the counter who would take it from me.

[mef]

Working as intended

[coolandsmartrr]

To add some context, the removal of trash cans accelerated prior to the hosting of the Tokyo Olympics. The municipal government was concerned about trash possibly overflowing from the can, thereby ruining the appearance of the streets.

Meanwhile, Japanese subway stations still have trash cans, which are only blocked when foreign dignitaries visit the country. It doesn't seem authorities are reacting to the subway attacks from 30 years ago.

[jeremyjh]

I would never do this as a visitor to another country - but if this happened where I lived I would advocate mass littering until it was repealed. Just drop the trash where the canvases to be. If you could get even a single percent population doing this in a large city it would snowball and it would be over in 30 days tops.

[fc417fc802]

I would happily do that ~anywhere. The social contract is that I carry my trash around with me on the basis that there will be a can somewhere nearby.

In a nearby municipality there is a particular spot that sees a lot of dog traffic yet has no can. Some civilly disobedient good samaritan keeps leaving an empty bucket and the city periodically gets around to removing it long after it fills up. Seems to work well enough despite being entirely illegal.

[bitmasher9]

The social contract changes when you change location. It’s unreasonable to be accepted as a guest in country and not expect to have to modify your behavior to accommodate local norms.

[fc417fc802]

I agree with you in principle but given this specific example I'm failing to come up with any counter examples. Community provided trash cans seem to go hand in hand with a cultural aversion to littering and both seem to be a direct consequence of population density rather than anything to do with a particular culture.

[KennyBlanken]

Meanwhile Boston spent millions on "bomb proof" trashcans that turned out to just be regular trashcans with an absurd mark-up.

Security Theater keeps on keepin' on.

[qingcharles]

Britain had no rubbish bins on train stations for a long time due to similar issues (IRA attacks).

[gib444]

They're still quite rare and only the type with a clear bag hanging on a metal ring in the main areas.

The busiest stations have wandering staff picking up rubbish off seats and the floor etc.

Many of us Brits in station coffee shops still do the performance of looking for a bin because we're too embarrassed and too well-mannered to leave it anywhere else. It's endearing and funny at the same time (though of course it's also often due to forgetting there are no bins!)

[hyperbolablabla]

Hmm, Osaka has plenty of trash cans... Did you mean Tokyo?

[m463]

hmm.. I didn't compare. but yes for certain tokyo.

[ajsnigrutin]

That just means that terrorism works.

What's next? A bomb under a bench? No more benches!

[m463]

You will just have to buy your bench from a coffee shop after you get through airport security.