https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/39303027.pdf
An article that covered this incident pointed out that some Japanese backpackers have a complex inclination to not only face dangerous situations but also deliberately step into them. It is suggested that through the process of backpacking, where they continuously encounter various dangerous situations, their sense of danger becomes numb. In other words, for some Japanese backpackers, the “battlefield” becomes a place they should go precisely because it is a “battlefield”.
It is important not to forget that I am not seeking danger or risk myself (blu3mo).
With this unlimited desire in mind, it should be understood that the endless curiosity shown by the Japanese youth involved in the Iraq incident and the Japanese backpackers who attempted to infiltrate Iraq at the same time were not “deviant behavior” that went beyond the norm. The system that leads them to risky behavior and the mechanism that escalates the desire for risk consumption are inherently built into backpacking.
If one takes risks because they are seeking “something else of value”, the balance can be maintained. However, if one takes risks simply because they want to take risks, there is no stopper to prevent escalation (blu3mo). Both cases can be dangerous depending on the balance, but the latter is the worst-case scenario.
In backpacking, the excitement of trying marijuana for the first time is extremely strong. The thrill of trying “deviant” acts that cannot be done in Japan in a foreign land undoubtedly allows for a strong experience of the “different world”. However, as one continues to smoke, the excitement and thrill decrease. To experience the same intensity of thrill and excitement as the first time, one must increase the intensity of risk from marijuana to LSD, and then to heroin. If that’s the case, it is a natural deduction that they construct the legitimacy of taking risks in a way that is convenient for themselves, such as “I won’t get addicted to heroin because I only do it during my travels” [Uriely & Belhassen 2006: 339-359].
Looking at this mechanism of self-growth from a different perspective, another aspect becomes apparent. In other words, the reason they are so enthusiastic about presenting their travel stories to others is that each time they present, a different narrative is woven, and each time, they can experience their own self changing. If, indeed, “self-growth” or “self-transformation” is one of their travel goals, then they must continue to present their travel stories to others. It has been pointed out by Cohen that Japanese backpackers are more eager to interact with other Japanese backpackers than with local people [Cohen 2003: 95-110], but considering the purpose of their travels, it was somewhat inevitable.