Away from a devastating yet highly irregular mass stabbing, Japan has an exceptionally low crime rate. In 2011, its intentional homicide rate was just 0.3 per 100,000 people, making it in the top three countries for the lowest crime rate, alongside others just a fraction of its size.

Why? It doesn’t take much investigation to reveal that Japan’s criminal justice system is unusually harsh. Through tough interrogations and the ability to hold criminal suspects for up to 23 days without charge, it is almost unsurprising that confessions underpinned 89% of criminal prosecutions in 2014. With the lingering possibility of capital punishment alongside Japan having one of the incarceration rates per 100,000 people of just 41, it is clear that a peaceful culture combined with a powerful deterrent is a highly effective combination.