The Dark side of Japan Tourism.

[JohnM]

The full ABC story: Daughters cling to hope Japan will acquit Perth mum who they say was victim of romance scam

Very strange.

Most people have probably seen the result of this yesterday. Six years in jail.

Commentary on the Japanese legal system: Donna Nelson’s guilty verdict is not an aberration. Japan has a high criminal conviction rate for a reason

 

[Chicken]

Commentary on the Japanese legal system:

The author made a good point, that this Australian was caught with 2 kilos, so the fact that she was convicted was inevitable, and lucky that she got 6 years, which is pretty normal for Asia. Lucky she wasn't caught in Laos on her way to Japan, or she would be facing a death sentence instead of 6 years.

I guess for many of us, it's the process and treatment before the accused is found to be guilty.

 

[drron]

I really don't think that there is anything really wrong with the verdict and sentence.
She had a 3 day stopover in Laos on the way to Japan and picked up a bag from an associate of the fellow she had thought was going to marry.
she apparently told Immigration she had come to Japan on business not to Marry.

Australian who said she was tricked into smuggling drugs into Japan jailed for six years

A court in Japan finds Australian grandmother Donna Nelson guilty of importing two kilograms of methamphetamine into the country.

www.abc.net.au

But that is not to say that the Japanese system is fair. Nearly 2 years held in solitary confinement, Not able to see anyone except her lawyer. As well not being able to have a lawyer with you when interrogated.
Now she is going to prison in some ways it is work. There are only a few short periods when you are able to talk. As well any conversation is to be in Japanese. Westerners are usually still kept in solitary confinement. It is not going to be easy for her..

Talk of an appeal is just that. It takes years usually for another court hearing on the same case. Several cases linked earlier on in this thread.

 

[JohnM]

It's a bizarre story.

Two kilos extra weight in a suitcase is a large proportion of its total weight.

She told some strange things to Japan border control.

She conducted a long online 'relationship' with the promise of marriage to someone she had never met.

She had an apparently senior and responsible job previously in Australia and once stood for Parliament.

Just how naive can anyone be?

WA Premier Cook weighed in: 5min mark: ABC News WA: Thursday 5/12/2024 with, IMO inappropriate, comments that imply he's in disagreement with the legal system of another country for no other reason that she is a (West) Australian and therefore needs some sort of sympathy, special treatment or has been hard done by. A simple "I can't comment on that." surely would have been much more appropriate.

 

[Tiki]

I've seen a few similar stories on "Banged Up Abroad" and this poor lady seems to have been so blinded by love she threw her judgement out the window. Why would anyone travel to Japan via Laos? There are plenty of direct flights from Australia to Japan. And of course the scammer is probably still out there trying to do this to other naive and desperate women.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I've seen a few similar stories on "Banged Up Abroad" and this poor lady seems to have been so blinded by love she threw her judgement out the window. Why would anyone travel to Japan via Laos? There are plenty of direct flights from Australia to Japan. And of course the scammer is probably still out there trying to do this to other naive and desperate women.

The ticket was bought for her. She was to,d that due to it being Christmas, non-stop flights were full, so she had to go via Laos.

99% of the travelling public would probably accept that at face value… they know cheap fares can have stopovers etc. And for aussies, stopovers of transits are pretty much the norm, you *know* you have to stopover to get to Europe for example (QF flights excepted), or you know that you can fly singapore airlines, but transit singapore, etc.

I believe the flight bit.

It is unfortunate. But if you allow all drug mules off with no penalty, what would be the result?

 

[Tiki]

The ticket was bought for her. She was to,d that due to it being Christmas, non-stop flights were full, so she had to go via Laos.

99% of the travelling public would probably accept that at face value… they know cheap fares can have stopovers etc. And for aussies, stopovers of transits are pretty much the norm, you *know* you have to stopover to get to Europe for example (QF flights excepted), or you know that you can fly singapore airlines, but transit singapore, etc.

I believe the flight bit.

It is unfortunate. But if you allow all drug mules off with no penalty, what would be the result?

That's even fishier! There are no direct flights to Laos from Australia or from there to Japan!

https://www.flightconnections.com/flights-from-vientiane-vte

I could believe a stop in SIN, KUL or BKK but this must have been one hell of an itinerary and then accepting a suitcase from a stranger? Holy sh.......!

I would have rather the Japanese police use her to bait the scammer and try to catch him in exchange for time off.

 

[Chicken]

I could believe a stop in SIN, KUL or BKK but this must have been one hell of an itinerary and then accepting a suitcase from a stranger? Holy sh.......!

Well, this woman matched someone on Tinder, started buying crypto within one month, ANZ called her telling her she's being scammed, she still sent the money. After she got scammed all her money, no money left, she then went to take out a loan, and told the bank that it's for a holiday. Of course she didn't have any holiday, she handed that money to the scammer as well.

So, there you go. People would do anything to get scammed, I do wonder how do you help them. Doesn't matter how many safety barriers you put along the road, if someone were really determined to run in front of a bus ... But this is way off topic.

There is no reason to not allow someone to have family visits, and there is no need to do solitary confinement, whether this woman was scammed or not.

 

[Katie]

saw this on youtube

Basically this lady lives near Osaka and bought a car that was involved in an “accident”
While it was parked.
She got a phone call from the police and was apprehensive .
She must be aware of the problems that can happen as she concludes the story by recommending you have a front and rear facing dashcam!

Holy canoli!

That lady used to teach my Teen Japanese at high school.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I’m sure she’s a nice lady… but 10 minutes into the video I still don’t have any idea of what happened. Bored… gave up!