Speaking of which, two things I noticed while in Japan last week that I didn't notice two years ago were (a) notices in train stations and various public buildings that hightened security measures were being taken, and (b) reminders on trains to report any suspicious-looking items to staff. It definitely made me feel at home.

The guy who wrote that sign used to date an OL who worked here.

She must have dumped him to marry a salesman who relies on public transportation when carrying samples to customers.

Sometimes people miss the obvious subtext.

But wouldn't he then want to drive up sales of matches, to make her job busier and more stressful?

Russell: Yeah, those "heightened security measures" have been going on for so long now that they're starting to raise the philosophical question of when it will be that they can no longer be referred to as "heightened".

Matt: She's married. She quit her job long ago, and now has to support two children on the match salesman's salary, while living in his mother's house. And he'll never become sales bucho now because some guy who never got over her made a rule that he can't carry his samples around with him on the subway.

It's so obvious.

This, by the way, is an awesome idea for the next new Japanese melodrama.

I suggest you sell the story to フジテレビ or something.

Yeah, you have it pretty well thought out there. I see a fading 90s idol as the OL, maybe one of the early-wave Morning Musume girls... (also, isn't the Little Match Girl pretty well-known here? work those motifs!)