My first (and second!) experience with Japanese cops

[Bucko]

Had my first experience with Japanese cops today. I was riding home from Nagai in Osaka to my home about 15 minutes away and thought I'd take a short cut through Nagai Park. Unfortunately this was a bit of a mistake as I got completely lost. I cycled through some really dense neighbourhoods not knowing at all if I was going the right way or not. The neighbourhoods were too dense for me too look up for any landmarks. I ended up panicing a bit because it was getting dark and cold, however up one street I spotted a couple of police on their bikes. Even though my bike wasn't registered in my name, it was still in the name of the person who I bought it off, I thought I'd ask them anyway, and hope they didn't ask to see my bike registration (how stupid of me). Anyway, I rode up to them and asked which way Tennoji was and they showed me on the map and gave me directions. Great for practicing my Japanese. Then I saw the female cop look at my bike strangely and they started asking me about it. I told them that I bought it from an American guy who lived in my apartment but who had moved back to America, but I couldn't remember his name (this was true). They were understood but wanted to investigate it more. They were also really apologetic about it. Eventually the all-clear came though on the radio and they let me go. I also learned the name of the American guy who I bought the bike off, which was kind of lucky as you'll see later. They also explained that the reason they had to investigate my bike was not because I was a foreigner, but because the lock was missing, and whenever they see a missing lock on a bike they have to check that it hasn't been stolen. The American guy who I bought it off said that the lock bent when the bike fell over once, so he pulled it off.

After one year in total living in Japan this was the first time I'd ever been asked by the police to show any form of ID, registration, or anything. My second time was to come only 5 minutes later! As I was riding home I rode past two other cops. I knew instantly that they were going to speed up and pull me over, and that's exactly what happened. They wanted to see my ID and bike registration, and wanted to know how I came to own the bike. I explained to them that the exact same thing had happen not even 10 minutes earlier. They apologised profusely, but went through the whole name checking thing anyway. Again, I explained about the bike being registed in someone else's name (now I actually knew what the American guy's name was). Once again, the all-clear came through and they let me go, along with many "gomens". However, before they rode off I thought that to save the hassel again in the future I would ask them if they could escort me to the bike shop around the corner to register it under my name. They agreed but ended up taking me to a different bike shop and did all the speaking for me to the shop owner.

So now my bike is finally registered under my name, and I have this nice little story to tell. And I have to say that dealing with the police was not an unpleasant experience at all. They were all really friendly, apologetic and helpful.

[yukio_michael]

That's a really interesting story, a similar thing happened to me (though not in Japan, with a broken tail light--- two stops... I just showed the ticket to the second cop and he let me go...).

That asside, from the states it's hard to imagine cops being so coridal, you'll get the occasional young guy, or I hate to stereotype but it's true, the female cop or even better female black cop--- are the friendliest and least likely to mis-treat you just because 'they can'...

Maybe officers just get shot at more in the states. I've noticed that also, the same 'presence' of officers is different in the United States and many other places I've been... In the States they are out places just waiting for somone to act stupid, jay-walk or be drunk and rowdy--- I've seen people arrested for being a bit drunk and 'not shutting up'... literally they had the choice to chill out or go to jail, and they chose the latter--- (which they immidiately regreted---). This was a girl maybe in her twenties...*

I'm used to seeing normal people every day being arrested for this or that, and not in places where 'bullets are whizzing by your head'... really, I lived in Orlando Florida, so there was none of that... but.

I also can't imagine a cop appologizing (using the word cop so many times makes me feel like a ruffian)... It's nice to hear how courteous officers are in Japan, glad it was a good, if not slightly tedious experience for you.

*I realise that this is probably true a lot of places where younger people are out getting drunk... it makes sense.

[Ewok85]

I've had nothing but good experiences with the police in Australia, got a few mates who are on the beat in my area which is good.

Originally Posted by yukio_michael

I've noticed that also, the same 'presence' of officers is different in the United States and many other places I've been... In the States they are out places just waiting for somone to act stupid, jay-walk or be drunk and rowdy

Yeah, we have that here. The idea is by simply being there people are going to not do stupid stuff. You'll often see them outside of popular venues at closing time to make sure that noone is going to drink drive or start fighting.

[Mikawa Ossan]

Bucko, if they said that they have to check every bike that is missing its lock, it might be a wise investment to get a new lock, so as to avoid future encounters with the police.

Incidentally, I have never had any bad experiences with the police, either, although I have "police-experience" in the USA, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Korea.

Nothing real big. The Korea one was just when my friends and I went to the independence gate in Seoul, and the police prescence magically increased about tenfold in the span of 10 minutes!

In Sri Lanka, there are two stories. One was just we were out too late, and the other time, we were doing senko-hanabi in the park. A little advice: countries with civil unrest don't like fireworks!

[Pachipro]

Interesting story Bucko. Thanks for sharing your experience. It is similar to the one I had while riding a bicycle that I had "borrowed" one night. Luckily for me, the original owner never registered it as I hate to think what would have happened to me.
All in all though, I must concur that the police were very polite, but firm in my dealings with them and I did have a few dealings as you already know if you've read a few my stories. Glad your experience was a good one.

One question. How do you feel about the Japanese police stopping you on a bicycle to check for registration and such? Do you think they target mostly foreigners or do you think they target both Japanese and foreigners equally?

In my experince I feel that they target both equally as I have seen more than a few Japanese being stopped on their bicycles for not having a light on or for having a passenger on the rear of the bike.

[thomas]

Originally Posted by Pachipro

How do you feel about the Japanese police stopping you on a bicycle to check for registration and such? Do you think they target mostly foreigners or do you think they target both Japanese and foreigners equally? In my experince I feel that they target both equally as I have seen more than a few Japanese being stopped on their bicycles for not having a light on or for having a passenger on the rear of the bike.

My observations are similar to yours, Pachipro. I cover about 20-30 kms/day in Tokyo, and I have never been targeted by the police. On the contrary, I usually see them stopping young Japanese men and high school students. I remember last month two cops were overtaking me on their bikes after a hasty chase. While I was mentally preparing to produce my gaijin card they actually pulled over a Japanese gentleman in front of me.

No, they are not hunting for gaijin on wheels.

[Mars Man]

A nice little story there. A good, warm and friendly read. Thanks !!

I've never had problems with the police here in Japan all these years, even though I have actually once had the pleasure of being taken into one little side room for questioning--which of course led to a long-term friendly relationship (although the original questioning was real, and was to see if I would admit to anything for not notifying authorities of public property damage on early Sunday morning. . . and, unfortunately, I've now lost contact with the officer.)

Brings back good-ole day memories. Thanks....

[nurizeko]

Thanks to jref i always feel a prang of panic when police pass by, sudden thoughts rush through my head like the screech of tires and heasty footsteps then a hand on my shoulder, a cold hostile hand just waiting to see a young innocent gaijin like me abused by the japanese justice system.

But nothing ever happens, so, not as bad as i thought it would be, my problem is british police arent too friendly, so i have never had any experience of friendly approachable cops before.

[Maciamo]

Originally Posted by thomas

No, they are not hunting for gaijin on wheels.

This still does not explain why on my way to a lesson (around 5pm) in a crowded street with many other bikes, one cop at a koban tried to stop me, failed, then stopped me on my way back an hour later, and when I asked him why he stopped me and nobody else (there were dozens of bikes around and he visibly didn't stop anyone else), he admitted that it was because I was a foreigner.

This also does not explain why the same cop stopped me twice in 2 days (while riding back home, just 100m from my house), didn't check my bycicle registration, but my alien registration card - twice !

This also doesn't explain why a police car stopped in front of me in crowded Otemachi at lunchtime, and check my bicycle registation alone, while dozens of bikes and hundreds of people walk past us, then drove away without showing the least interest in other people.

[Maciamo]

Originally Posted by nurizeko

Thanks to jref i always feel a prang of panic when police pass by, sudden thoughts rush through my head like the screech of tires and heasty footsteps then a hand on my shoulder, a cold hostile hand just waiting to see a young innocent gaijin like me abused by the japanese justice system.

No you know why I am feel stressed and uncomfortable in Tokyo for the last 2 years (not in the 2 first, as I had only been checked once, and after midnight, but after that 7x and always during day-time or early evening).

As for the politeness, it's only natural that they should be polite. First of all, I have never done anything wrong, but then Japanese society expects them to be polite. I cannot compare with the police in Europe, as I had never been stopped before coming to Japan. I still believe that only "suspicious people" get checked, which is why I dislike those Japanese cops; stopping me equals thinking I might have stolen something. For someone with such strict morals as mine, who has never even stolen a pen and consider even a "polite lie" to be a small crime, that is a deep humiliation that I won't forget so easily to be stopped by a police car in front of hundreds of onlookers.

I suppose that those who do not care about being checked by the police are either used to it (in their country), or do not have a crystal clear conscience (i.e. they may have stolen a bike or something else before, or thought about doing it).

[Maciamo]

Originally Posted by Bucko

They were also really apologetic about it.

Have you ever met a Japanese at work that wasn't apologetic about everything they do ? This is a cultural thing. Don't be fooled by such hypocrisy. If they didn't think you could have stolen your bicycle, they wouldn't have checked the registration. My wife has asked dozens of times her way or other info at the koban with her bicycles, and never got checked a single time in her life (same for my mother-in-law).

Originally Posted by Bucko

They also explained that the reason they had to investigate my bike was not because I was a foreigner, but because the lock was missing, and whenever they see a missing lock on a bike they have to check that it hasn't been stolen.

Funny. I never had a missing lock. In fact, I did ask them why they suspected me while I had a lock with my key (and even house keys attached, so it was obvious), but they always insisted to check anyway. Japanese cops are very good at finding excuses. Learn to question them with ability, and you'll find out that this is just hypocrisy, and that they only check you because they consider you suspicious.

[Uchite]

Great story Bucko!

Originally Posted by Bucko

They were also really apologetic about it. Eventually the all-clear came though on the radio and they let me go.

Originally Posted by Bucko

They apologised profusely, but went through the whole name checking thing anyway. Again, I explained about the bike being registed in someone else's name (now I actually knew what the American guy's name was). Once again, the all-clear came through and they let me go, along with many "gomens". However, before they rode off I thought that to save the hassel again in the future I would ask them if they could escort me to the bike shop around the corner to register it under my name. And I have to say that dealing with the police was not an unpleasant experience at all. They were all really friendly, apologetic and helpful.

See this is the whole thing. They kept apologizing and were basically just doing their job in both instances. I could not even imagine this in America. In fact, the total opposite. Cops here are just looking to bust someone for absolutely anything and more. And you will never get a "gomen" out of them!


This reminds me of something I once did in Japan. And I later found out just how risky it was, but at the time I had no idea!


One late evening a female friend who was a little older than I, who was now sadly a widow since her husband commited suicide several months earlier, invited me over to her home quite late in the night. The trains had stopped running by then and she did not live too far from where I was staying.


The Japanese guy who kindly let me stay in his tiny apartment (who was out staying with his on again/off again wife) had told me I could use his bike anytime I wanted to. It was simply a bike with no fancy gears or anything. It did not even have a lock!


Anyway, being that I really wanted to see her and was alone myself, I could not resist. Having a relaxed buzz from a few Asahis also elevated this feeling of desire and feeling of adventure.


And so, I got directions from her and got on the little bike and rode into the night.

I was having difficulty in remembering where to turn etc., so I stopped to call her from a pay phone a few times. She found this somewhat humorous and and was patient and helpful in her directions. There were virtually no cars out on the street at 1:00 A.M. or so and I think I even stopped in a 7-11 or similar and asked directions.


Finally, I found her place! I was delighted to see her and she was pretty happy to see me as well. It was a very nice evening/morning, but she was still in mourning from her husband's suicide, so I played it very cool out of respect for her, especially as she told me the tragic details of it all at one point and was in tears. I was longing to comfort her and show affection, but the time was not definitely not right. I had way too much respect for her, her husband (who I also knew and liked very much) and kids (who I kind of knew). It was really a tragedy that should never have happened!

ANYWAY!

The next day, an American friend of mine who lived in Japan told me that what I did was very risky what I did and was amazed I was not stopped and questioned by the police. Especially being a gaijin at this very late hour. Had I been stopped I would have really been in a fix with no registration, no lock, being slightly inebriated, and speaking and understanding only limited Japanese! I did not even have my passport on me!

I was very lucky and will know better next time!

[Bucko]

Originally Posted by yukio_michael

It's nice to hear how courteous officers are in Japan, glad it was a good, if not slightly tedious experience for you.

It wasn't tedious at all actually, however when I think about it, if it was a normal work day and I actually had things to do then it probably would have been really frustrating (the second time with the cops that is)

[Bucko]

Originally Posted by Mikawa Ossan

Bucko, if they said that they have to check every bike that is missing its lock, it might be a wise investment to get a new lock, so as to avoid future encounters with the police.

Yeah, I thought about it, and came to the conclusion that the hassel it will take to explain to the bike shop guy that I need a new lock + the money outweighs any other times when I might be pulled over.

[Bucko]

Originally Posted by Pachipro

Interesting story Bucko. Thanks for sharing your experience. It is similar to the one I had while riding a bicycle that I had "borrowed" one night. Luckily for me, the original owner never registered it as I hate to think what would have happened to me.

Actually, Pachipro, I thought about your story while I was writing mine

Originally Posted by Pachipro

One question. How do you feel about the Japanese police stopping you on a bicycle to check for registration and such? Do you think they target mostly foreigners or do you think they target both Japanese and foreigners equally?

Well, the first time obviously wasn't anything to do with me being a foreigner as I was the one that rode up to them. The fact that they had to check my registration was a consequence of that, as well as me not having a lock. However I'm pretty sure that the second time with the other two cops was because they saw a foreigner ride past them and I guess they had nothing better to do. They must have paced it on their bikes too, because they were stationary when I passed them and they pulled me over only 40 meters or so up the street.

[Bucko]

Originally Posted by Maciamo

This still does not explain why on my way to a lesson (around 5pm) in a crowded street with many other bikes, one cop at a koban tried to stop me, failed, then stopped me on my way back an hour later, and when I asked him why he stopped me and nobody else (there were dozens of bikes around and he visibly didn't stop anyone else), he admitted that it was because I was a foreigner.
This also does not explain why the same cop stopped me twice in 2 days (while riding back home, just 100m from my house), didn't check my bycicle registration, but my alien registration card - twice !
This also doesn't explain why a police car stopped in front of me in crowded Otemachi at lunchtime, and check my bicycle registation alone, while dozens of bikes and hundreds of people walk past us, then drove away without showing the least interest in other people.

Yeah this would p!ss me off, especially if I was in one of those "Japan sucks" moods. Actually, I should have been offended the second time because it was obvious they pulled me over for being foreign, but I was still buzzing from my first (pleasant) experience 10 minutes earlier where I got to put into use all the Japanese I'd been learning

[gaijinalways]

Experiences in Tokyo that I have heard related seem to be more like Maciamo's. 'My' first experience was at the infamous Apple House in Higashi Koganei. A young Canadian guy borrowed his Japanese girlfriend's bike to take a ride somewhere. At that time, literally every time someone left the gaijin house, the police would try to stop them, the cyclers from the house were terror on wheels!
Anyway, he gets pulled over, gives them the song and dance that it is his girlfriend's bike. They apologize and check the registration, turns out it is stolen. They haul his butt off to the station, and I am thinking there is justice in the world (okay, the guy was a wanker with a sweet girlfriend). But then I'm thinking, wait a minute, the guy might be a wanker, but that doesn't make him a thief. Anyway, in the mean time someone with the girlfriend's number rings her, and she skips out of a university class and comes down to the station after meeting someone at the house who guides her to the station.
The upshot of the story is that the girlfriend borrowed the bike from someone else, who borrowed it from another person. Luckily for the Canadian fellow, the bike was stolen before he came to the country. yet he speant maybe 3 hours at the station, and tried to leave at one point, thinking the whole thing was ridiculous.
More frequently, two guys that I work with, both in their late 50s, got pulled over twice on their way to work in Ikebukuro (grey heads gang?)!! They have been stopped other times, and even asked the policeman (as they both live pretty nearby), don't you remember us?
I have never seen a Japanese person pulled over on a bike. Motorcycle, scooter, car yes, but bike never!
You figure it out, but since I don't have a bike, I don't worry .

[Maciamo]

Originally Posted by gaijinalways

The upshot of the story is that the girlfriend borrowed the bike from someone else, who borrowed it from another person. Luckily for the Canadian fellow, the bike was stolen before he came to the country. yet he speant maybe 3 hours at the station, and tried to leave at one point, thinking the whole thing was ridiculous.

Anyway, what could happen to a bicycle thief in Japan ? Most bicycles cost only around 10,000 yen new, but few are new and most are worthy probably less than 1,000 yen (10 US$ !). When I was stopped, I would not have sold my bicyle more than that anyway, and probably just given it away, as I did when I left Japan. I mean, one cannot go to jail or even be forced to stay several hours or days at the police station just for something that has almost no value (especially in such an expensive city as Tokyo, where 1,000 yen is really nothing). Given that an English teacher like me earns 2,500 to 5,000 yen per hour, if the police kept me for questioning for 1h, I should charge them about that for making me waste my time, and possibly miss a lesson. I was often checked on my way to a lesson, so if they had made me more problems, I would have lost that money, superior to the price of the bicyle ! This just shows how absurd that system is. Why do they check old worthless bikes, but they don't even check one's wallet, watch, shoes, bag or whatever is more valuable ? Why having to register something that is only worth 10,000yen new and which value quickly drops ?

Overall, there are 3 things that pissed me about the police checks :

1) they disturb me and invade my privacy (ID check, questioning about where I am going, what I do for a living, etc.)
2) it is humiliating to be the only person checked in front of hundreds of people, especially when the police officer admits that it is because I am a foreigner
3) they make me waste my time, and made me arrive late at several appointments, further adding to my embarassment.
4) it is ridiculous to check the owner of such as worthless thing as an old city bicyle (and frustrating to see that people riding expensive mountain bikes like Thomas never get checked)

[thomas]

Originally Posted by Maciamo

I suppose that those who do not care about being checked by the police are either used to it (in their country), or do not have a crystal clear conscience (i.e. they may have stolen a bike or something else before, or thought about doing it).

I believe the opposite is true, at least in my case: since I do have a crystal-clear conscience I do not mind being checked. I have no reason to fear authoritites.

Originally Posted by Maciamo

it is ridiculous to check the owner of such as worthless thing as an old city bicyle (and frustrating to see that people riding expensive mountain bikes like Thomas never get checked.

I agree that it doesn't make a lot of sense, but the way they conduct their business is their cup of tea. If they ever check me, I will fully cooperate. Because checking all blokes on wheels in town is what I expect them to do in case one of my bikes gets stolen.

[Maciamo]

Originally Posted by thomas

I believe the opposite is true, at least in my case: since I do have a crystal-clear conscience I do not mind being checked. I have no reason to fear authoritites.

I didn't say "fear", but "care". People who do steal bicycles (regularily) wouldn't feel embarassed or humiliated to be the only one checked in front of hundreds of people, because they understand teh risks before stealing it and assume them when they get caught. Now if you don't want to be embarassed by the police in public, what can you do ? It doesn't matter whether you steal a bike or not, as there is a chance they will check you anyway. Personally, the embarassment caused is more annoying that to pay a small fine for theft. I'd rather steal a bicycle, denounce myself discreetly and pay the fine, than not steal anything and be checked in public.

If they ever check me, I will fully cooperate. Because checking all blokes on wheels in town is what I expect them to do in case one of my bikes gets stolen.

It makes sense for an expensive bike, but not for an old worthless one. The question is, would the cops stop everybody and check their watch if I said I had a 500,000 yen watch stolen, with my name carved on the back ? It is as easy as to verify a bicycle registration, and worth much more money, but I am almost sure that they wouldn't start checking all the people with a similar watch in the street. It would be too embarassing. Why is it any less embarassing to check bicyles ?

The Japanese police usually checks more teenagers and (younger ?) foreigners because they know that older Japanese people would complain (like me).

[Dutch Baka]

Indeed interesting story, and the cops are friendly, well at least more friendly than in my country.

I had a talk to my wife about it, but she never heard about bicycle registrations, do you have this everywhere in Japan? or is it just in some area's? I would like to steal a bike * I mean buy ahum, not in Amsterdam anymore* in the future, because I just wanne ride, nantokokantoka, and I would like to ride with Thomas, and his buddy's * damn the tour you guys make are long! so do I really have to get a registration?

[advigilo]

thank god we dont have id registration for a bike
because i bought most of my bikes (my bikes get stolen a lot for some reason)
at the train station. The bikes the sell might be stolen and ended up with them one way or another.... but atleast i bought it fair

[ghettocities]

I would have got the female cop's phone number and put her behind bars if you know what i'm saying.



Josh

[Kyoko_desu]

Originally Posted by Dutch Baka
I had a talk to my wife about it, but she never heard about bicycle registrations, do you have this everywhere in Japan? or is it just in some area's?

Yes, it's called 自転車防犯登録　in Japanese and it's of course all over in Japan, since Heisei 6 nen. You just pay extra 500 yen to get this registration. Maybe you want to show this link to her? 自転車防犯登録講座

[persil]

I think this is the third "cop" thread I've read on this forum and, as a daijin, I am indeed puzzled!

The mentality is really different around here, in Canada. No bike registration at all. Except for police cars here and there, there's not much visible presence. I've owned a car for a couple of years now and never got arrested for anything. The worst I've had was a couple of parking tickets, never even spoken to a police officer yet in my life, except when I had an accident or such.

So, well, comparing to all stories and this one, I would indeed feel really weird being asked IDs, registrations and stuff, for no apparent reason.