{
  "id": 3900423,
  "title": "Please don’t rearrange our shoes when we turn up, paramedics in Japan urge",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/please-dont-rearrange-our-shoes-when-we-turn-up-paramedics-in-japan",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-28T05:25:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Guardian",
    "slug": "the-guardian",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/28/never-tidy-paramedics-shoes-japan-custom-etiquette"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Japanese emergency services are cautioning against moving paramedics' shoes when they arrive at a residence. The Kanazawa fire department has posted an Instagram video explaining that paramedics position their footwear in specific spots at entryways to facilitate quick entry and exit, especially when transporting patients on stretchers. Proper etiquette dictates that guests remove their shoes upon entering a home in Japan, and homeowners reorganize the footwear to make it convenient for guests to slip them on when departing. Firefighter Daisuke Yamashita explained that when paramedics adjust their shoe positioning out of kindness, it may interfere with their ability to reposition the shoes, potentially causing a delay of around 30 seconds during an emergency. Despite expressing gratitude for the kindness behind straightening shoes, firefighters emphasize the importance of preserving the shoes' original placement during critical situations. The video has garnered over half a million views, with many viewers appreciating the advice and sharing their own experiences, while some have suggested disregarding the tradition in emergency scenarios.",
  "summary": "It is polite to reposition a guest’s shoes when they arrive, but the emergency services in one city advise just skipping that part Etiquette, manners and consideration for others are integral pillars of Japanese society but there are times when they might go a step too far, according to one city’s emergency services. The fire department in the central city of Kanazawa has urged people not to tidy…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}