What the World Can Learn From Japan's Lost and Found

Full script

Read the whole talk.

All slides in one place. Read it through once, then practice slide by slide.

1. 01What the World Can Learn From Japan's Lost and Found

   Good evening, everyone. Last spring, a tourist friend of mine dropped her wallet on a Tokyo train. The next day, the police called her. Everything was still inside. Tonight, I'd like to recommend something the world could learn from Japan: its lost-and-found system.

   大家晚上好。去年春天，我一个来旅游的朋友在东京的电车上弄丢了钱包。第二天，警察就给她打了电话。里面的东西一样不少。今晚，我想推荐一样世界可以向日本学习的东西：它的失物招领制度。

2. 02The Numbers From Tokyo

   My friend was not just lucky. In 2023, people in Tokyo handed in about four point four billion yen in lost cash to the police, a record. About three point two billion yen of the cash handled that year went back to its owners.

   我的朋友并不只是运气好。2023年，东京的人们向警方上交了大约四十四亿日元的遗失现金，创下了纪录。当年处理的现金中，大约有三十二亿日元回到了失主手中。

   Source: Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department lost-and-found data for 2023, reported by Nippon.com, "Record ¥4.4 Billion in Lost Cash Handed in to Tokyo Police in 2023"

3. 03Not Only Cash

   And it's not only money. About four point four million lost items were handed in to Tokyo police in 2023, from umbrellas to ID cards.

   而且不只是钱。2023年，东京警方共收到大约四百四十万件遗失物品，从雨伞到身份证件都有。

   Source: Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department lost-and-found data for 2023, reported by Nippon.com

4. 04Why It Works: The System

   Why does it work so well? Part of the answer is the system. There are small police boxes, called koban, in many neighborhoods, and the process is clear. Under Japan's Lost Property Act, finders can also receive a reward of five to twenty percent of the item's value.

   为什么这套制度运作得这么好？一部分原因在于制度本身。很多社区都有叫作“交番”的小型派出所，而且流程很清楚。根据日本的《遗失物法》，拾得者还可以获得物品价值百分之五到百分之二十的酬谢。

   Source: National Police Agency of Japan, lost property information site; Lost Property Act (finder's reward of 5–20%)

5. 05Why It Works: The Habit

   The other part is habit. Many Japanese children learn from a young age to take things they find to a koban. It becomes something people do without thinking twice.

   另一部分原因是习惯。很多日本孩子从小就学会把捡到的东西送到交番。这成了人们不假思索就会去做的事情。

6. 06Being Honest About the Numbers

   Of course, we should be careful. Not all cash is returned, and these numbers are from one city. They don't prove that people in Japan are more honest than people elsewhere. But they do show that a good system makes honesty easier.

   当然，我们也要谨慎。并不是所有现金都被交还了，而且这些数字只来自一个城市。它们并不能证明日本人比其他地方的人更诚实。但它们确实表明，一个好的制度能让诚实变得更容易。

7. 07What Other Cities Could Copy

   Other cities don't need to copy everything. They could start with easy places to hand in lost items, a simple online search for owners, and lessons for children about returning what they find.

   其他城市不需要照搬一切。它们可以先从这些做起：设置方便上交失物的地点，提供简单的网上失物查询，以及教孩子们把捡到的东西还回去。

8. 08Conclusion

   To conclude, Japan's lost and found isn't magic. It's a mix of good design and good habits, and both can be learned. Imagine if every lost wallet in the world had the same chance of coming home. Thank you.

   最后，日本的失物招领并不是魔法。它是好的设计和好的习惯的结合，而这两样都是可以学会的。想象一下，如果世界上每一个丢失的钱包都有同样的机会回到主人手中，那该多好。谢谢大家。