But having lived in Japan for six years I can say with great conviction that his impressions of Japanese people are ridiculous when printed under the guise of serious journalism. His column couldn't have highlighted some of the ills of Japanese culture better, except that he identified them for all the wrong reasons. A Japanese firm did not do that work. It was commissioned to an American architect. Joe's experience with the Japanese shopkeepers is actually quite common, but it's unlikely that many thought he was a thief.
Thievery is very uncommon in Japan, even among tourists.
Japanese department stores don't bother installing theft detectors at entrances and exits because in the past shoplifting was just about unheard of. Most shopkeepers were eyeballing Carlson primarily because he is American, and most Japanese have never met an American who can speak a lick of Japanese, let alone pronounce Toyota or Subaru correctly. Japanese-speaking Americans are the most uncommon of all tourists. Shopkeepers get nervous around Americans because we are so unpredictable. Shopkeepers never know what challenges face them when an American tourist walks into their store.