A great truth about Japan.

Treating adults like, well... adults. Most of the time, anyways. Radical concept, yes?

Ten, er, ELEVEN Things I'll Miss About Japan:

"My favorite thing about Japan is that, as an adult, I can freely indulge in adult activities without the hand-holding or censorship of a "protect us from ourselves" mentality. If I want booze, I can buy it in any convenience store or from vending machines or even at theme parks! According to the law you have to be twenty years old to drink but the rule is never thrown accusingly in anyone's face. Compare that to New York where, even in my late twenties, I am consistently carded and viewed with suspicion by bouncers, bartenders and supermarket clerks everywhere. Of course, once I buy my booze in Japan I'm free to drink outside if I want to. The same rules apply to cigarettes, although in the interest of public health/cleanliness the country is starting to restrict usage to designated "smoking corners" (喫煙コーナー). Still, that means you can smoke in the bar and most restaurants.

On a related note (in my opinion) Japanese TV is virtually uncensored. Admittedly, the language barrier excuses them from not caring about English profanity, but (non-genital) nudity and violence aren't edited either. In fairness I can't formally declare the reasoning behind these policies but I'd like to think it's because people are actually held accountable for their behavior here. If I get drunk, it's not the bartender's fault, it's mine. If I smoke and get cancer, it's not the tobacco companies' problem, it's mine. That isn't to excuse the American Tobacco Lobby from its shady behavior concerning marketing and addiction catering, but I've never been comfortable with the notion that someone who smoked cigarettes for forty years can suddenly plead ignorance to the effects and sue...

But there's more! Look at love hotels, a business catering to the needs of consenting adults who just want a few hours to themselves. Can you imagine the shitstorm that would erupt if one opened in Midtown Manhattan? There would be outcries of "immorality," "promiscuity," and you know someone would cry out "What about the children?" Then, of course, every room would fill up with homeless people."