This Area Of Japan, Osaka Has Become A Danger Zone For Koreans

Travelers are warned to be very aware in this area.

Japan is the number one destination for Koreans to visit on holiday. The Japan National Tourism Organization estimated the number of Korean visitors to be 1,512,100 people during the period between January and February. This number is a 23.4% increase from the same period last year!

 

One of the most popular cities to visit is Osaka, Japan. While Osaka is generally a safe place to visit, there is one particular ward within the city that has become a danger zone.

 

The Nishinari ward has a great location. It’s close to Naba ward, which is one of the most popular areas for visiting, and Tstenkaku Tower is also located nearby.

It’s also a hub for travel as there a lot of train stations there. Not only that, but it has some of the cheapest accommodations in Osaka and boasts a number of great restaurants.

 

Unfortunately, Nishinari is also one of the most dangerous areas. It has one of the highest crime rates in Japan and yakuza groups also frequent the area to cause trouble.

Nishinari also has a long history of violent uprisings and has been a gathering place for the homeless and criminals.

 

It is also an area that seems to target Koreans. On March 30, a Korean man in his 20s was in the area to see the cherry blossoms. He stopped outside of a convenience store and was stabbed. Luckily, he was not killed.

Thankfully, the Japanese man who committed the crime was caught the following day. When he was arrested, he admitted he knew the man was Korean and was overcome with rage. He is being charged with attempted murder.

 

But this isn’t the only instance where Koreans were targeted. Two years ago a famous sushi restaurant was accused of “wasabi terrorism.” The restaurant was intentionally putting large amounts of wasabi on sushi served to Korean tourists.

There have also been a number of street assaults in the area that seem to target Korean individuals.

 

Tourists who are traveling to the area have been warned that they should pay special attention to keep themselves safe.

Source: Dispatch (1) and (2) and Japan Times