Safety Consciousness of Security Town Residents:

Gated Communities in Japan

Abstract

    The purpose of this paper is to clarify the safety consciousness of Security Town residents in what is called a “Japanese gated community”. Gated communities, residential areas that limit the entrance to the inside by enclosing the area with fencing, using security guards and installing CCTVs, are widespread throughout the world. Recently, Security Towns are increasing in Japan, highlighting growing security needs. We investigated the consciousness of security of Security Town residents in survey and through interviews, and analyzed the data. This paper highlights the three findings. First, 76％ of Security Town residents emphasize crime prevention in choosing their residence. However, residential motivations are different, and security is not considered the top motive. Second, Security Town residents have not eliminated their fear of crime, especially compared to national data. However more than eliminating their fear of crime, living in such an area serves as a warning to suspicious persons or strangers. Finally, Security Town residents put a certain confidence in the security, which is maintained by regional council.