The safety features of this backpack make a lot of sense and give busy Japanese parents reassurance.
Japanese and American children live different lives. Because of our different societies, different expectations and skills developed. Japan, being a high trust society, is generally safer and creates an environment for children to walk to school everyday. This develops independence and other soft skills like navigation. As an effect of children roaming the streets freely, their uniforms matched that. They wear certain caps and backpacks for safety and visibility because they walk to school and may be on their own. Because of Japan’s unique characteristics, the children dress up and grow up differently to how us Americans are used to.
