Why This Topic Landed in Japan

Thefts of fruit, grapes and livestock have been reported across Japan, so stealing premium melons just before harvest read as another blow to farmers — "an unforgivable act" and "a threat that could ruin a farm." Police say two men — a 22-year-old Vietnamese national and a 19-year-old, described in some reports as a Japanese co-worker — were arrested on suspicion of breaking into a greenhouse in Kikugawa, Shizuoka, where more than 50 melons had been stolen from two farms over August and September. That a Vietnamese national was among those arrested fused a "here we go again" wariness of foreign crime with anger at business and political leaders who expanded the technical-intern and specified-skilled-worker programs. There is no confirmation that the case is organized crime or a product of the labor scheme.

Key Reaction Themes

  • Slurs, exclusion and calls for violence against Vietnamese and foreigners (by far the most) — The large majority of comments used slurs or dehumanizing language, demanded violent punishment or expulsion, or turned it into anti-immigration political abuse.
  • Distrust of non-prosecution (the clean strand) — "Can you really get off with no charge even after admitting you broke in to steal?"; anger that prosecutors who decline to charge stay anonymous.
  • Blame on the labor scheme — Some pointed at Keidanren and the firms that host technical interns.
  • Practical calls to choke off resale — "Check the fishy, broken-Japanese melon listings on Mercari too."

What Japanese Netizens Are Saying

Serial Aroma Melon thefts in Shizuoka and the arrest of a Vietnamese man

A theft case involving premium melons brought out distrust of foreign crime, the technical-intern scheme, and non-prosecution.

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高級メロンを盗もうとして　ベトナム国籍の男2人がハウスに侵入か　ブランド「アローマメロン」すでに周辺で50個以上の被害 fnn.jp/articles/-/111…

www.fnn.jp高級メロンを盗もうとして　ベトナム国籍の男2人がハウスに侵入か　ブランド「アローマメロン」すでに周辺で50個以上の被害｜FNNプライムオンライン静岡県菊川市でメロンを盗もうとハウスに侵入したとしてベトナム国籍の男2人が逮捕されました。周辺ではメロンが盗まれる事件が相次いでいて警察が関連を調べています。建造物侵入の疑いで逮捕されたのはベトナム国籍で塗装工の22歳の男と19歳の男で、警察によりますと2人は19日午後11時頃、静岡県菊川市嶺田のメロンのガラス温室に侵入した疑いがもたれています。菊川市では8月から9月にかけてこの農家と別の農...
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Sources: Yahoo! news, 2ch

Comments:

  • "Keidanren and the companies that take in technical interns — it's everyone's responsibility."
  • "Even if you confess you broke in intending to steal melons, do you still get off with no charge?"
  • "It'll be a non-prosecution or an acquittal, most likely."
  • "Go after the other offenses and the accomplices too."
  • "It's strange that the names of prosecutors who keep declining to charge are kept secret."
  • "For immigrant crime, report whether they're here illegally as well."
  • "They should immediately investigate the melons on Mercari with dodgy Japanese descriptions too."
  • "A little while ago you only saw this kind of news occasionally, but now it's every week."