Japanese man helps to pick up litter simply because he likes Singapore

Not all heroes wear capes — this particular one wields a pair of tongs and a trash bag in hand.

In a Facebook post uploaded by Ivan Choong on Tuesday (Sept 10), he shares an encounter he had with a Japanese man who was picking up litter along the Boon Tiong Road.

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/ivancwk/posts/10220490608914577?__tn__=-R[/embed]

The man, known as Toshi, said that he had wanted to help clear the litter as he found Singapore clean and green.

"I like this place," he said.

Toshi might have only been in Singapore for two months, but the time spent here was more than enough for him to treat the place as his home.

The post has since gotten 4,200 shares at the time of writing. 

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Netizens were full of praise for Toshi's actions, many of whom attributed it to his culture.

After all, this is not the first time the Japanese have been in the limelight for their considerate ways — fans cleared their rubbish after a match back in 2014 World Cup, then again after a match in 2018 World Cup. The national team also cleared out their locker rooms and left a thank you note in Russian.

Netizens went on to share their experiences of what they've done in their efforts to save the environment.

For tenderfoots seeking to do their part, there are plenty of Facebook groups that help to organise clean-up activities. The Singapore Glove Project and Trash Hero Singapore are two such groups that regularly organise beach clean-ups in Singapore.

If you're looking to organise your own clean-ups, the Singapore Hygiene Council has got a handy guide available too.

Indeed, we could all take a leaf out of Toshi's book so let's do our part to keep our home clean.

rainercheung@asiaone.com