Story perspectives

Expert Reveals Staff Greetings Deter Japan's Rising Shoplifting

1/4/2026

Summary

Story summary

Tomoo Okubo, a criminal psychology professor at Kagawa University, has studied shoplifting for 16 years and says staff greetings deter theft amid rising incidents during the pandemic.
Okubo notes official statistics underestimate Japan's shoplifting problem.
Kagawa prefecture had the highest reported shoplifting incidents in Japan until 2009.
Prefectural police sought Okubo's expertise to address shoplifting, and he trained store staff on theft prevention, including a handbook for self-checkout counters.

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Story summary

Tomoo Okubo, a criminal psychology professor at Kagawa University, has studied shoplifting for 16 years and says staff greetings deter theft amid rising incidents during the pandemic.
Okubo notes official statistics underestimate Japan's shoplifting problem.
Kagawa prefecture had the highest reported shoplifting incidents in Japan until 2009.
Prefectural police sought Okubo's expertise to address shoplifting, and he trained store staff on theft prevention, including a handbook for self-checkout counters.