This morning I witnessed something I knew was happening, but just hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. Walking home from the convenience store (which I despise, but we ran out of milk for my daily cold brew), there was a man probably about the same age as me who had left the convenience store probably a minute before me.

We were walking home on opposite sides of the same road and I happened to look up just as he threw some rubbish behind him as if nothing was happening. I called him out, shouting that I had seen him. Thankfully he begrudgingly went and picked it up and continued along his way.

I have no idea what possessed him and made him do that, but I have no qualms if he feels any resentment towards me. What was he expecting? Someone else to clean up after him? (like the lady a few metres behind walking her dog who witnessed the whole thing) trying to be cool?

Japan has a clean image because for the most part people do look after their own rubbish. Seeing someone break the rules like that was quite surprising to be honest, but I guess there are bad apples everywhere. I just hope I discouraged him enough to never do it again!