Culture
Carefully, Japan Reconsiders the Trash Can
The near-absence of public garbage bins in cities like Tokyo is both a security measure and a reflection of a cultural aversion to littering.
For two decades, it was the lament of inexperienced visitors to Japan: Where are all the trash cans? It’s a cruel trick, in a way: In a country with innumerable vending machines, there’s often nowhere to put one’s wrappers or empty bottles.
Public waste bins and garbage cans were largely removed from Japanese cities following the 1995 sarin gas attacks, forcing residents to adopt some of the world’s more disciplined waste disposal techniques.