Japan's "Free range" Children

Walking through Tokyo's labyrinthine Shinjuku Station can be a challenge for even seasoned commuters. Hundreds of exits, countless corridors and the constant crush of passengers in the world's busiest train station are not for the faint of heart.

Yet one can frequently spot school children no older than five or six years old — sometimes alone, other times in small groups — lining up among suit-clad men and women to take the train with no adult supervision.

This episode looks at the cultural factors that let children ride even busy train lines alone, or carry out small errands on their own.

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