Dear Muslims living in Japan,
Parks are places where children come to play.
They are also places where families spend their days off, elderly people take walks, and local residents can enjoy their community in peace.
Parks are not places for you to gather and pray as a group.
The same goes for riverbanks.
Riverbanks are places where families take walks, play with their children, and quietly enjoy the scenery.
Japanese people do not hate you simply because you are Muslim.
You are free to have your faith, and you are free to pray.
However, if you choose to use public spaces in Japan, please respect the way of life and customs of the Japanese people who have been using those spaces as part of their everyday lives.
Respecting your own freedom is not enough. You should also respect the freedom of the people around you.
That is what it means to live in a culture different from your own.
If behavior continues without even trying to understand that, it is only natural that people will say, “Please follow the rules of Japan.”
It’s time to understand that.
And when you look at this image, what do you think?