lack of self-defense skills in Japan

Martial arts in Japan: Judo, Kendo, Karate, Aikido, Jujutsu

Last Sunday, there was a mass stabbing of people in Akihabara. It was a terrible, horrific event that should never have taken place. Of course nobody deserved to be killed or stabbed. I do not blame any of the victims. 7 people are dead and 10 others were injured. That's 17 people.

Some of them were first hit by the attacker's rented truck. I'm sure they were dazed and didn't see the man coming with the big knife. Others probably weren't looking either when they were attacked.

But 17 people? They were not alone in Akihabara. The place is crowded on Sundays. But unfortunately, we do not have 1 hero. Not one person stopped the attacker. Maybe they were all comic book and video game couch potatoes.

Where are all the martial artists?

In a country that has invented so many ways of the warrior, why do we have so few people able to defend themselves? Are the martial arts worthy of study? Can they actually be of use if you are attacked?

As far as I know, all of the Japanese martial arts are practiced without shoes. Practitioners hone their skills indoors on mats. I don't like that. Another thing I didn't care for when I took Aikido was the seiza. They practice defense moves from a sitting position and a position that bends your toes backwards.

How many of the victims Sunday were barefoot? Being outside and walking on the street and sidewalks, I guess it would be safe to say that NONE of them were barefoot. People don't go shopping barefoot. Everybody must have been wearing shoes or sandels or something to protect their feet.

How many of the victims were sitting in a seiza position when they were attacked? Hmm... Let's see... How many?.... ZERO!! Gee, I wonder why.

So why do the Aikido instructors teach this way? Perhaps they would not admit to how useless some of their activities are. I have not tried to pin one down and ask him. He would probably just throw me; throw me out of the dojo.

What is the reaction of people in Japan to the incident? Well, if the attacker had been a foreigner then people would demand more laws controlling foreigners and there would be a lot of anti-foreigner sentiment. That would make many foreigners feel like the Japanese are saying that only foreigners are the ones who commit crimes in Japan.

But this crime was committed by an ordinary Japanese person. So then, the obvious answer to them is to turn their attention to the weapon used. Yes, a big ol' survival knife. Let's have some kind of regulation on them. Sure, that'll do the trick.

Somehow, regulations are going to make people more safe? I don't think so. That just leaves everybody as vulnerable as before, doesn't it. I think the better answer is to empower the people.

Promote self-defense skills. More people should be studying the arts that were created in their country. More people would be safe. Someone should have been able to handle that wimpy attacker. He did not look like a big guy. One swift blow could have knocked him out.

In fact, Aikido is proclaimed to be good for small, weaker people. A small woman can throw a big man on his butt, if the technique is executed properly. And Aikido has ways to combat attackers who are swinging or thrusting knives at you.

But I doubt anybody will hear my calls to increase self-defense skills in Japan. Instead they will go back to playing video games and reading comic books and pretending that laws will protect them.

Why? Because after all is said and done, after everybody is killed and stitched up, Japan is still a very safe place. I can walk anywhere, on any street, any time and not find anything to really worry about. Nobody's going to attack me. We are all very, very safe here in Japan.