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2 Japanese women killed after driving into shootout in Brazil

27 Comments

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My prayers go out to the families of these two women. Brazil is having a hard time with criminals and it's going to be a hard time for them to convince the world that it is safe for their athletes and visitors to come there for the Olympics. I hope they figure things out right quick.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

YubaruNov. 18, 2015 - 07:04AM JST

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My prayers go out to the families of these two women. Brazil is having a hard time with criminals and it's going to be a hard time for them to convince the world that it is safe for their athletes and visitors to come there for the Olympics. I hope they figure things out right quick.*

I know what you mean ... and with their economy now on the rocks, it's not looking good. On the upside, the World Cup went well, so hopefully they learned a few lessons from that.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Tragic, but if they were tourists perhaps a good idea to make Japanese people more aware of the dangers abroad, some think traveling abroad is as safe as Japan. This is the second time this year Japanese people got killed in South America.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Japanese seem pretty innocent/naive (I don't mean it in a derogatory way) when they travel abroad. While I don't know how these two women got themselves into this situation, but I can't help remembering the two incidents of Japanese women getting sexually assaulted when some guy offered to be their tour guide. They really need to know to be more wary of the world outside Japan.

I had to say the same thing to my Japanese friend, because ironically, I felt that she should have been more wary of me! We had barely known each other when she accepted my invitation to take a trip together alone, which included driving by ourselves through the Arizona desert in the middle of the night. I shudder to think what would happen if she decided to take such a trip with a guy with ulterior motives.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

It would be interesting to know what they were intending to see or do near a penitentiary as they are rarely sited near places of natural beauty or cultural significance. Yes, it is an area of the Amazon, but . . .

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Need to keep situational awareness (SA) high at home and abroad especially after the Paris attacks.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

It would be interesting to know what they were intending to see or do near a penitentiary as they are rarely sited near places of natural beauty or cultural significance. Yes, it is an area of the Amazon, but . . .

I think it is known as 'rotten luck'.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

This has got nothing with teaching Japanese that other countries are not as safe. This could have happened to anyone, tourist or not. Yes, Brazil and other Latin countries are dangerous places with high criminality. But even being a local with eyes on the back of your head and trying to be aware, you still have the chance of running into a tragedy like this. That's one of the big reasons I left.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Driving into gun battles between police and armed men attempting a prison breakout doesn't happen to everyone ... It's not something I expect to happen to me when I go on holiday. Where do you go on holiday lol ?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Tragic, but if they were tourists perhaps a good idea to make Japanese people more aware of the dangers abroad, some think traveling abroad is as safe as Japan.

Interesting. I'm constantly told by locals how dangerous "gaikoku" is and how safe Japan is. Heck, I see this all the time on TV shows here where some talento goe son and on about how dangerous X country is.

I think a better thing would be teaching folks about being more aware of your surrounding area. Be it walking down the street, saving a seat in a cafe or driving around.

RIP folks. Horrible way to go.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

While I have heard Brazil has a reputation of being somewhat "unsafe", this could have happened anywhere... They were in a car, presumably minding their own business and they got caught in a crossfire... they could have been in the "wrong place at the wrong time" in Paris for that matter...

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Brazil is having a hard time with criminals and it's going to be a hard time for them to convince the world that it is safe for their athletes and visitors to come there for the Olympics

what?!?! seems like they did alright with an even bigger event, the world cup!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Dreadful news, Rest in Peace. Lets just hope the criminal elements are cleansed by the authorities from Brazil's streets before the influx of tourists next year.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Tragic and sad.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It also wasn’t immediately clear whose shots killed the women

These poor gals were at the wrong place at the wrong time. Perhaps Brazil ought to ban all firearms. Even from their own national police force.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Thats such bad luck and very sad, especially two Japanese that wanted to explore the world and have some adventure.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Guys, this has nothing to do with cultural naïveté or trust or what have you, it is a tragic case of wrong place, wrong time. RIP to the victims.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

From Brazilian news I learnt that both women in their 70s immigrated to Brazil some 30 years ago, and occasionally returned to Brazil to visit friends and relatives. What I found strange is that both were buried in Brazil and had not their bodies returned to a burial in Japan, as expected when Japanese citizens die abroad. Apparently they were near the prison when the cross fire started and both left their car running - when they were shot down. While this was pure bad luck, Brazil is not a safe country. I am here, I can say that. But it's not more dangerous than, say, USA or India. I know foreigners that have been living for decades here and had never any violent episode whatsoever.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

A simple case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

most of Latin America suffers from extremely high crime rates. such a pity as deters tourists and affects the poor people who have to live with this day and day out.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Interesting. I'm constantly told by locals how dangerous "gaikoku" is and how safe Japan is. Heck, I see this all the time on TV shows here where some talento goe son and on about how dangerous X country is.

They can be TOLD how dangerous gaikoku is, but that's not the same as living there. Living there, you eventually pick up on those little tricks that keep you safe, those real danger signals you must know.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japanese seem pretty innocent/naive (I don't mean it in a derogatory way) when they travel abroad. While I don't know how these two women got themselves into this situation, but I can't help remembering the two incidents of Japanese women getting sexually assaulted when some guy offered to be their tour guide. They really need to know to be more wary of the world outside Japan.

Yes, it is easy to read this website and call Japanese naive because of the few times one has been kidnapped, killed or sexually assaulted. There are many people from many different countries who run into bad luck abroad. All you have to do is watch if you don't feel like researching is to watch the Discovery Channel and they have shows upon shows of different people getting into trouble abroad.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

And the OIC thinks this place is safe enough for The Olympics?

ooooooooooook

Thoughts and Prayers to the families of the victims.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Prayers!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The whole world is dangerous in one way or another and not everyone in Japan dies of old age in their sleep. Please give the 'gaikoku is dangerous have to warn all Japanese' a rest. Just look at a few of the other stories on this site right now and you'll see what I mean as people do get killed here too. RIP to the victims.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The whole world is dangerous in one way or another and not everyone in Japan dies of old age in their sleep. Please give the 'gaikoku is dangerous have to warn all Japanese' a rest.

In comparison to Japan, almost every country in the world is more dangerous, so it's not entirely wrong.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Danger has more meaning than just being shot or robbed. Some of us have been here entirely too long.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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