Japanese citizens turn in cash found after earthquakes and tsunamis

[Jenna]

Between March 12, the day following the earthquake and tsunami, and March 31, those nine police stations collected 10 times the amount of lost cash collected at the other 15 stations combined.
Japanese children, from a young age, are taught to turn in any lost items, including cash, to police stations. The cultural practice of returning lost items and never keeping what belongs to a strangerhas meant police departments like Tokyo's Metropolitan have an entire warehouse filled with lost shoes, umbrellas and wallets.
In the tsunami zone, where personal items lie amid miles of rubble, it's meant that lost valuables have often gone directly to police, rather than the pocket of the finder.
The lost cash hasn't been easy to handle, the Miyagi Prefectural Police Department says. Money found along with some identification is being returned, but officers have been able to return only 10% of the cash.
Cash that wasn't in a wallet is left unclaimed at the police station. After three months, the person who turned in the cash is able to collect that lost money. But police say people are already waiving their rights to claim the cash when they turn it in.
Unclaimed cash will eventually be sent to the Miyagi Prefectural Government, though police say they do not know how it will be used.

More here: Japanese citizens turning in cash found in tsunami zone - CNN.com

[Big Sexy]

BIG lived in Japan for 2 1/2 years. This is returning of money is 100% in their character. Disaster or no disaster.