Carrying passport at all times?

[briareos]

Is it necessary to carry your passport on you at all times if you're a tourist in Japan?

[ArmandV]

I've heard that you should, in case you get stopped by a police officer. I generally do, but on occasion I've left it in my hotel room.

[squiggle]

If you dont want to carry your passport on you a copy should be fine.

[Maciamo]

Or you could be arrested and taken to the police station for questioning... If thing sturn bad they could keep you for up to 3 weeks without the right to contact anyboby, even a lawyer, your family or your embassy. It has happened, so think about it...

[GaijinPunch]

It has happened, so think about it...

Asteroids hit people in the head as well. Should you wear a helmet at all times?

I've been stopped and asked for my passport 2 out of my last 3 trips. Neither time did I have it. Once, I showed my Hawaiian driver's license and explained that my wife didn't allow me to carry my passport b/c I lose everything. They were fine w/ that. The next time was late at night on the corner where the Iranians used to sell really low quality drugs. I told them my wife didn't let me carry it, but she had it in the hotel across the street. They made me have her bring it down and show them. They reminded me it was a rule to carry it, but they let it go at that. I will have to point out that the officers neither time spoke any English. I guess your chances of getting in trouble are higher if you can't explain yourself.

Is it a rule? Yes. Are you going to be held for 3 weeks b/c you didn't have it? No way. It's in fact really hard to get arrested/detained in Japan. Taken to the station for the "talk of shame" however, is quite easy.

[koolkool]

I carry mine, just in case:cool:

[Riyko]

I was reading an article and it said the main reason you should always have your passport on you at all times while over in japan is so it can be used as a second form of identification.

[Maciamo]

Asteroids hit people in the head as well. Should you wear a helmet at all times?

No because it won't protect you ! However if you go to the Sahara, don't forget your umbrella as you might just get the single day of rain of the year when you are there. :p Sorry, that's my German side that is resurfacing. :bluush:


I've been stopped and asked for my passport 2 out of my last 3 trips. Neither time did I have it. Once, I showed my Hawaiian driver's license and explained that my wife didn't allow me to carry my passport b/c I lose everything.

:D Good one. My wife doesn't let me carry my passport with me because I might lose it. I'll try that next time. :p Well, at least you had an official ID (driving licence). Had you looked like a serial killer, terrorist, or worst, someone who can't eat with chopsticks, they were justly looking for that day to kill their time, you would have get acquainted with the cell and interrogation methods of the Japanese police. :p

They were fine w/ that. The next time was late at night on the corner where the Iranians used to sell really low quality drugs. I told them my wife didn't let me carry it, but she had it in the hotel across the street. They made me have her bring it down and show them. They reminded me it was a rule to carry it, but they let it go at that. I will have to point out that the officers neither time spoke any English. I guess your chances of getting in trouble are higher if you can't explain yourself.


So they did make you go and fetch it. Imagine if you were on a day trip to Yokohama and your hotel was in Tokyo, and you couldn't speak a word of Japanese ! I doubt they would have followed you all the way to your hotel or be so comprehesive. :?

Is it a rule? Yes. Are you going to be held for 3 weeks b/c you didn't have it? No way. It's in fact really hard to get arrested/detained in Japan. Taken to the station for the "talk of shame" however, is quite easy.

That's what some people say about leaving Japan every 3 months (r.g. to Kore or China) to get a new short-term visa, but my embassy warned people not to do that as their had been a few cases of perfectly legal Western tourists who had been detained at Narita Airport and sent back on the first flight to their home country (even if that meant spending 3 nights in the airport custody) at their own expenses. But when Japanese tourists do the same in Europe, nobody ever says a word. :okashii:

[Dutch Baka]

I think that it is normal to carry your pasport with you, when you are in a foreign country!!! and don't see any big deal about that.

[pipokun]

...
But when Japanese tourists do the same in Europe, nobody ever says a word. :okashii:
But what if a police car would suddenly stop and 3 or 4 police officers would surround your wife, not in Japan, but in an European country. It was not in your country, though.
When an asteroid would hit your in the head, your passport is the only document telling you from Mr./Ms. tourist.

[nurizeko]

I carried my passport at all times, its just common sense when you go abroad.

[GaijinPunch]

So they did make you go and fetch it. Imagine if you were on a day trip to Yokohama and your hotel was in Tokyo, and you couldn't speak a word of Japanese ! I doubt they would have followed you all the way to your hotel or be so comprehesive.

Yes, they had my wife bring it down. Had I been far away, sure, it might've gotten nastier. Probably would've gone to the station, and then they would've driven me to the hotel. Detainment in such a situation is pretty unlikely.

A colleague I still work with today was driving w/o his license on him (he had an international one at home). He was taken to the station, and asked repeatedly if he really had an international license. After saying yes 3 times, they drove him to his house across town, and waited for him to go in and get it. Then, they left him alone. He spoke zero Japanese as well, and going to the station was mainly to get a translator.

My wife doesn't let me carry my passport with me because I might lose it. I'll try that next time.

You would be surprised how far "my wife says..." will take you in Japan. You do know when you are in trouble w/ the police, if they don't arrest you, they will at least call your wife, right? Regardless of who wears the pants in your household, if the officers can relate to you, it'll be much easier.

[squiggle]

I have never been asked for my passport or alien card for that matter the whole time ( four years ) I have been living here with the exception of the time when I went to the koban to make a report about my neighbour that was stealing my underwear....They were more interested in my visa status than my complaint...sorry off the topic..

[GaijinPunch]

Are you male or female? Female I hope.

[cursore]

Just common sense bring your passport with you and relax, if you are afraid to loose it, put it in one of those small wallet you can clip into you belt and inside the throusers..(on the side...)

[nurizeko]

For an italian Cursore, you sure seem to share alot of opinions and sentiments I do.

I agree, carrying your passport is common sense really in any foreign locale.


I have a little camo pattern army pouch thing I clip onto my belt, I stuck my passport in there.

[GaijinPunch]

Guess it wouldn't hurt to mention
1) I have an uncanny ability to lose/drop things... even attached to me.
2) My wife has zero tolerance for such stuff... especially forgetting something. We've gotten in huffy fights over losing much less than a passport.

It's not like I was running around some strange land I couldn't communicate in for the first time or anything. I feel more at home in Tokyo than I do where I live now.

[cursore]

Nurizeko... I have been in Scotland for 1/3 of my life may be the reason? :o)

Funny enough, In UK I kept my ID card only the first year then I always left it at home, I have been stopped only once by the police and as I was not the driver of the car they didn’t ask me for documents, only my name my address and where I was working. But the best bit was under the Anti terror raids in Edinburgh in 2002, the police was investigating on my neighbour (an Algerian guy, who was later arrested) and the police came into my place for some info (me and my ex let them in) they asked us the usual questions but they didn’t ask for documents or whatsoever, maybe my accent is a passport of its own…

Of course in September when in Japan I’ll keep it with me… you know… I can not reply to an officer Watashi wa Itariajin, pizzeria wa doko desuka?

[gaijinalways]

I would say that for residents, the foreign certificate would be enough. But as I am in England now, I always carry my passport, as they wouldn't recognize a American license or Japanese ID here as valid ID.

[pipokun]

...
Of course in September when in Japan I’ll keep it with me… you know… I can not reply to an officer Watashi wa Itariajin, pizzeria wa doko desuka?

Don't worry the J cop would kindly show you the place where you can eat pizza with mayo, potato, seaweed or whatever, though they may think they are authentic Italian pizza.

[pika la]

Yea, I was wondering that too.
Since I do loose everything I never brought my passport anywhere but the airport. Though I always kept a photocopy in my wallet...usually. I never got asked for even that though. =)

[squiggle]

GaijinPunch....yeah Im a girly girl....I caught the little rat bag red handed twice once with my underwear in his hands and once trying to get into my aprtment through the front door...he looked kinda feminen too...makeup and the whole lot.

[Pachipro]

Passport or Gaijin Card it must be carried on your person at all times. Failure to do so could land you in alot of trouble as happened to me in this post (http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20256).

Even though my experience occured many years ago, and some might think it doesn't happen anymore, here is a link (http://sushicam.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=3305&highlight=#3305)to a very similar experience as mine and it occured only last year!

Therefore, you are playing Russian Roulette if you fail to carry either your passport or your Gaijin Card on you. Just because you get away with it once or twice doesn't mean you won't be hauled off for questioning and forced to appear in court a third time.

These days when I visit Japan I ALWAYS carry it in a back pocket with a button so I do not lose it. My own experience taught me that I'd have to be a fool to take a chance going out with no ID at all especially these days when the police in Japan recently even arrested a Japanese woman because she looked foreign, had no ID and refused to cooperate. Good luck to those who knowingly go out without it.

[budd]

i use a money belt myself
the policeman that stopped me to inspect it, etc. complimented me in japanese on it
some links i got from typing "hotel passport stolen"
http://www.crisscross.com/jp/forum/m_842848/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#844211
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/essential/emergency/list/phrases.html
http://www.globalpolicy.org/nations/citizen/0701fake.htm

yah, some hotels/ryokans subsidize their income by "borrowing" their patrons passport (too lazy to type up personal experiences right now)...
think about it. who better to know how long a customer is gone from the room than the concierge/clerk?

[Maciamo]

But what if a police car would suddenly stop and 3 or 4 police officers would surround your wife, not in Japan, but in an European country. It was not in your country, though.
That would never happen here. You need to breach the law to get the police to do something here. And sometimes that's not even enough, they need a complaint from someone, or you really have to do something to provoke them just under their noses...

[DoctorP]

That would never happen here. You need to breach the law to get the police to do something here. And sometimes that's not even enough, they need a complaint from someone, or you really have to do something to provoke them just under their noses...


I think the key phrase was "What if....?" Meaning, that it probably wouldn't happen, but what if it did?

[Elizabeth]

Yea, I was wondering that too.
Since I do loose everything I never brought my passport anywhere but the airport. Though I always kept a photocopy in my wallet...usually. I never got asked for even that though. =)
I haven't either since it isn't a process of random checks and interrogation. If you can stick to walking extremely safe, well travelled business or quiet residential neighborhoods during the day not moving in a way that would draw any scrutiny -- I think your chances are extremely low.

[名無し]

Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act Chapter Ⅳ Section Ⅱ (http://www.moj.go.jp/ENGLISH/information/icrr-09.html) says,
Article 23

Any alien in Japan shall carry on his person at all times the passport, or provisional landing permit, crewman's landing permit, emergency landing permit, landing permit due to disaster, landing permit for temporary refuge or permit for provisional stay. However, this shall not apply if the alien carries on his person the certificate of alien registration under the Alien Registration Law (Law No.125 of 1952).

2. The alien stipulated in the preceding paragraph shall show his passport or permit specified in the same paragraph to an immigration inspector, immigration control officer, police official, maritime safety official or any other official of the state or local public entity as provided for by a Ministry of Justice ordinance, if such an official requests the presentation of the passport or permit in the performance of his duties.

3. The official stipulated in the preceding paragraph shall, in cases where he requests the presentation of the passport or permit provided for in Paragraph 1, carry with him an identification card showing his official status and produce it upon request.

4. The provision of the first sentence of Paragraph 1 shall not apply to an alien under 16 years of age.

[Maciamo]

I think the key phrase was "What if....?" Meaning, that it probably wouldn't happen, but what if it did?

And isn't the proper way to answer a "what if" question to use "would", like I did ?

You keep making slightly confrontational comments against me that do not contribute to the thread. Why ?

[DoctorP]

Actually I was trying to get you to contribute to the thread by actually thinking about "what if" this happened to your wife! You didn't actually answer, you instead said that it would not happen here. I wasn't being confrontational, you took it that way, I was merely hoping that you would go back and actually answer the question for once.

[ArmandV]

Looks like Article 23 answered the question.

[DoctorP]

**in addition** You usually do not answer "what if" questions because you say they are not logical...it wouldn't happen so why should I answer? That is the purpose of a "what if" scenario...to make you think as you probably wouldn't otherwise. If you read your post, you never answered the question, you merely gave reasons why it wouldn't happen.

[Maciamo]

**in addition** You usually do not answer "what if" questions because you say they are not logical...it wouldn't happen so why should I answer? That is the purpose of a "what if" scenario...to make you think as you probably wouldn't otherwise. If you read your post, you never answered the question, you merely gave reasons why it wouldn't happen.

:? I never said that I didn't answer "what if" questions. I never said they were logical or illogical (it's irrelevant). So you continue to make up things about me, right ?

[DoctorP]

Point being you still haven't answered it, now you took the thread off topic. You mentioned those things before...not in this thread.

[vorpar]

It's good to have, though in 5 months in Japan, I never got talked to or even really glanced at by the police. Maybe they think a 6' white guy with a redhead ponytail sticks out too much to not carry a passport :)

One of the few times I went out without it, I needed to present it at my rental company. If you need it for anything official it can save a lot of time to just have it with you.

[JapanLover]

I was asked two times for passort or AT LEAST an ID Card. One time was at night in Ginza by two walking policemen, the second time was when I was looking for the Bandai Museum.. I went to the police box by myself :relief:
wel... they asked for but when I told them I didn't have the yjust asked about name, lastname, where I was staying in Japan and things like that.
Never had any problem or just an ammonition to bring the passort with me!

[ArmandV]

I was asked two times for passort or AT LEAST an ID Card. One time was at night in Ginza by two walking policemen, the second time was when I was looking for the Bandai Museum.. I went to the police box by myself :relief:
wel... they asked for but when I told them I didn't have the yjust asked about name, lastname, where I was staying in Japan and things like that.
Never had any problem or just an ammonition to bring the passort with me!


The Bandai Museum is easy to find, it sits right next to the Matsudo train station and there's signs and arrows pointing the way throughout the station. You really didn't need to talk to the police for directions.

[Ben W Bell]

I would say that for residents, the foreign certificate would be enough. But as I am in England now, I always carry my passport, as they wouldn't recognize a American license or Japanese ID here as valid ID.

I know it's slightly off topic but I wouldn't carry your passport around all the time in England. You could have it pickpocketed. Also in the UK you don't have to carry ID on you at any time, there is no requirement for you to prove who you are.

[cursore]

I know it's slightly off topic but I wouldn't carry your passport around all the time in England. You could have it pickpocketed. Also in the UK you don't have to carry ID on you at any time, there is no requirement for you to prove who you are.


That's why I love UK... In Italy if you don't have an ID with you, the police will take you to the police station for questioning.

[Maciamo]

That's why I love UK... In Italy if you don't have an ID with you, the police will take you to the police station for questioning.

In Belgium people are supposed to carry their ID at all times too. But in practice I have never seen a policeman ask someone for their ID, except if they were arrested for some crime/offense.

[budd]

i have to have driver's license when driving, but that's really for other reasons :(
as soon as i see them make a u-turn to follow me, i immediately pull into the nearest driveway/turn my hazard lights on and pull over to the side of the road, then pop the hood
they drive past EVERY TIME. happened last night while driving home after dropping a friend off, in fact