Some people get lucky and have a great experience in the midst of danger. Some people are less lucky.
Some people try not to depend on luck too much and they do research instead.
Judging on what I’ve read, college itself is more dangerous than it should be. That fact should spur the kind of change we’re finally seeing, with another college (in Florida,) shutting down frats: We don’t send our kids to school to become drunks or to die stupid, wasteful deaths.
How well read and well traveled is your mother? If her opinion is based on experience and research, I’d listen to her. Frequently schools use travel investigation services that only make a profit if students travel: You never want to make a safety choice based on a money-making enterprise’s opinion over the opinion of an intelligent, informed person who really loves you.
Plus, Japan is great!!