Quote:
Originally Posted by formallydickman
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Having lived in Hiroshima and many, many cities of varying size across Japan, I can tell you that that picture is not only misleading but does not reflect the reality of most cities throughout Japan. There has been a trend over the last 20+ years of young Japanese people moving from small cities to the 2 major population centers, and now a decentralization is underway from the cities to the surrounding suburbs. Combine that with a steady population decrease and you will find an overabundance of unkempt and uninhabited property from 2 blocks off the Shinjuku station in downtown Tokyo to the smallest village on Shikoku. Murica might not be the best but I can tell you from personal experience that Japan isn't either.
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This is the hyperbole I referenced. Obviously not all of Japan is shimmering skylines and not all of the United States is abandoned buildings. The point remains, though, that this country is suffering from severe urban decay. A perfect example is wealthy San Francisco, filled with homeless beggars, the smell of urine, and even human feces on sidewalks. The best kept cities I've seen have been in Germany and Switzerland.