In math, science, and geography, children are taught essentially the same facts and formulas everywhere. When those areas are compared, Asian public schools almost always come out on top. More important than the economic miracle, the social miracle is less susceptible to ups and downs. Interestingly even in bad economic years, crime and divorce are low. South Korea, Japan and Malaysia saw virtually no increase in crime or broken homes in 1997-98.
Crime exists in Japan.
Women get raped, children kidnapped. Every twenty years or so, terrorists surface. Recently a religious cult released poison gas on a Tokyo subway, killing seven, terrifying no matter what the country. Despite being warned, the police couldn't stop it. Afterwards, it took police six weeks to catch the perpetrators and disband the cult.