Undisclosed number of passengers recently discovered QR codes mounted on subway advertisements that raised suspicion across the Japanese commuting society. Their fears were brought to the attention of authorities and investigation is currently underway. While the origin, purpose or potential harmfulness of these codes are yet unknown, their presence has caused concern in a society that heavily relies on public transportation.

In Japan, QR codes are frequently used in various aspects, including advertisements on public transportation. As such, this peculiar incident affects a large portion of the society, engendering both attention and concern. Issues regarding the potential breach of cyber security and public safety are central, reflecting Japan's social values of communal safety and law abidance.

In the US and EU, similar issue would likely elicit the same concerns over public safety and cyber security. However, the difference might come with the sociocultural attention drawn to such incident. While QR codes are commonly used in these regions, their application is not as embedded in every strata of day-to-day life as it is in Japan.