re: Tokyo, Shanghai, Osaka……why is that?

It's not about violent crime, it's the country-wide attitude .....culture....about crime. Something as simple as no one using locks on their bikes, downtown in highly populated areas, everywhere. In most restaurants, shoes are removed & stored on shelves, shelves & shelves of unguarded shoes, Try that in any big American city. Shoplifting is non existent, no security cameras anywhere.