One of my friends told me about this...

[Pachipro]

OK, I have been following this post with interest since it started and, as far as the OP post is concerned and the link he posted, I'd have to say that someone has a grudge against the Japanese police for some reason as the website has not been updated, shows no authorship or reason for posting, and just seems to be a rant of some kind.

Of all the people answering this post, and who claim to know so much about the Japanese legal system based on heresay, how many can say they have actually been through the Japanese justice system from arrest to trial and conviction to speak with any authority?? I would guess no one or no one who has the balls to actually admit it and give their experience.

Lets' set the record straight. I have been through the system twice! Once for not have my gaijin card on my person and once for getting busted at my home with an illegal substance (0.025 gms of hashish. A miniscule amount!)

In the case of not not having my gaijin card on my person, I was not arrested, but was questioned severely for a few days and had to appear before a judge. You can read all about the details here. And, in the 16 years Iof lived in Japan, I was asked for my gaijin card maybe 4 times. It was just that one time that I didn't have it on my person that I suffered for it.

In the case of being busted, I was presented with a search warrant and the police were as polite as could be. Since I knew they would tear my apartment apart, I presented them with what they were looking for. I was arrested and taken away, but since I had my own private school and they were in plain clothes I was not handcuffed when we left the building as it was their suggestion not to "alarm the neighbors". Also, I guess they believed me as they did not search my home after they confirmed through portable lab analysis that it was indeed an illegal substance.

My wife was also arrested although she was completely innocent. My wife was held for 5 days and I was held for 14. No charges were pressed against my wife, but after 2 weeks I was charged and allowed to post bail.

Throughout the whole process which consisted of much interrogation as to the source and who else was using I signed a confession indicating that the "stuff" was mine. Also, throughout the whole process the police were always kind and respectful, as were the guards in the jail in Yokohama where I was held. Heck, they even let us smoke cigarettes and listen to the ball games at night. However, they were strict and you had better do as you were told and respect them back. I shared in a cell with another prisoner and had absolutely no problems with him or the guards.

We were fed three meals a day, allowed three baths a week., and were allowed to walk around and smoke if we chose to do so for two 15 min beaks per day. The guards even alloed us to smoke in our cells at night if we couldn't sleep. Other than that we were in our cells unless called for interrogation. Up at 7am and lights out at 10pm There was a library with books in Japanese, English, and French and we were allowed to read them in our cells even if we couldn't sleep at night.

No one was beaten or abused and the police kept their word in keeping my name out of the newspaper if I cooperated as I would've lost my school completely if my name was in the papers. They knew that and used it as a "carrot" to get me to be cooperative and honest. I sometimes wonder if I would've been treated as well in the US for such a "serious crime".

After indictment by the prosecutor I was allowed to post bail and was released. I continued with my school after telling them a "lie" that my father had fallen ill and I had to leave in a hurry.

The trial was held about six months later and I was convicted of posession and sentenced to 7 years hard labor, suspended for 3 years.

Since the three judges believed my sincere apology for breaking their law and promising them I would not do it again, I was allowed to stay in country and was not deported. Maybe it was because I had a Japanese wife. I do not know. But I knew of three other single people who were busted (2 people from the UK and one from the US) who were deported and forbidden to return for 10 years. I continued with my school and no one even knew I was busted. The Japanese police did indeed keep their word and I have been back to Japan once or twice a year since I left in 1988 and had no problems entering.

Now, whether abuses by the police occur outside of what I experienced I do not know, but I guess it does here and there as it does in any country, even here in the US. However, in my case, I have nothing but praise for the Japanese police for the way I was treated in both instances. They were polite, firm, and civil and, being in a foreign country, I expected the worse from all the "horror" stories I had heard.

However, I do believe that if one is arrogant and fights the Japanese police, thinking they have 'rights', they will be in for a shock, because in Japan, when one is arrested, you have no rights, and that includes a phone call to relatives to let them know what happened to you! Fight them and be uncooperative and you may just feel their boot.

If you are innocent do not sign any confession as they have to let you go after about 25 odd days without no proof or evidence. One must remember that they are in a foreign country and subject to their laws no matter how arcane they may seem to us in the west. Break the law and you suffer the consequences.

My case may be rare, but I tend to believe it is the norm as I never experienced, or heard from others arrested, any of the abuses mentioned in the OP. However, as I said, it does not mean they don't exist.

 

[orochi]

Now if the police were doing checks on foreign people at that airport would it not be fair to assume that if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck that it could infact be a duck?

"Fair" or not, there is no legal basis. It's unlawful action on the part of the police officer. I don't think this should be ignored.

Why should the police officer believe him? Because he (Debito) said so?!

Yes. As soon as the person in question states they are Japanese, there is no lawful basis to pursue further questioning or demands for ID. The law is the law.

The cop had every right to be suspicious, but in the end he let him go.

Based on what? Certainly not the law. Should we allow cops free rein and ignore law and police regulation?

B/c if they saw a suspicious Japanese citizen they would ask them for and ID too.)

Debito IS a Japanese citizen. I have seen or heard no evidence that he was acting suspicious. If he was, then the police would have the right to ask. But he was approached and asked for his alien card. When asked why, "You looked foreign" was the answer. As I said, the officer fumbled.
You also mentioned racial profiling being used to efficiently capture a suspect. Let's say that a report goes out that a black-haired Caucasian man committed robbery. Stopping black-haired Caucasian men near the scene of the crime for investigation would make sense here. But there was no crime. There was no suspect being searched for. So your example here is sadly irrelevant.

Like I said before , all it would have taken was him showing his drivers licence and it all would have been over in seconds.

Or the police officer could have followed the law and police regulation. Not everybody likes being treated like second-class residents, but I think we have to agree to disagree here.
Also, driver's licenses don't include your honseki anymore, so they cannot be used to prove nationality. Japanese citizens are NOT required by law to carry identification. So how can they be legally required to show it?

It is legal for cops here to stop and question (the worse case, search).

Only when there is reasonable cause to assume that the party in question committed a crime, is in the midst of committing a crime, or may commit a crime.

警察官職務執行法 第二条 警察官は、異常な挙動その他周囲の事情から合理的に判 断して何らかの犯罪を犯し、若しくは犯そうとしていると疑うに足りる相当な理由のある者又は既に行われた犯罪について、若しくは犯罪が行われようとしていることに ついて知っていると認められる者を停止させて質問することができる。

racial profiling is done in many places

That doesn't justify it being done here.

Imagine you are in charge of the security for an event like that and there are reports of previous attempted attacks on the world leaders in different parts of the world, and it just happens those attacks were committed by caucasians. What would you do?

That's a straw man. There was no threat. There was no suspect. People were simply being stopped. And most of those being stopped were Caucasian or otherwise "non-Japanese" in appearance.. And the only threat made was done so by a Japanese citizen. They certainly would have caught him with their cunning tactics.

 

[FrustratedDave]

"Fair" or not, there is no legal basis. It's unlawful action on the part of the police officer. I don't think this should be ignored.
.....Yes. As soon as the person in question states they are Japanese, there is no lawful basis to pursue further questioning or demands for ID. The law is the law.
.....Based on what? Certainly not the law. Should we allow cops free rein and ignore law and police regulation?

Orochi, you quoted the law so I will respond to that.

ﾅ遅ﾅｽ@ﾅ?ﾂｯﾂ職窶督ｱﾅｽﾂｷﾂ行窶邸窶佚ｦ窶愿ｱﾂ湘ｰﾂ ﾅ遅ﾅｽ@ﾅ?ﾂｯ窶堙債、ﾋ?卍湘ｭ窶堙遺?ｹ窶懌?慊ｮ窶堋ｻ窶堙娯?伉ｼﾅｽﾃｼﾋ?坂?堙固ｽ窶督湘ｮ窶堋ｩ窶堙ｧﾂ坂?｡窶板昶?廬窶堙俄?敖ｻ 窶冉窶堋ｵ窶堙Ъ/B]窶ｰﾂｽ窶堙ｧ窶堋ｩ窶堙娯?敕?催溪?堙ｰ窶敕??堋ｵﾂ、ﾅｽﾃ｡窶堋ｵ窶堋ｭ窶堙坂?敕??堋ｻ窶堋､窶堙??堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢窶堙ｩ窶堙??ｹ^窶堋､窶堙俄?伉ｫ窶堙ｨ窶堙ｩ窶佛?窶懌?凪?堙遺?板昶?燃窶堙娯?堋?窶堙ｩﾅｽﾃ停?凪?昶?堙最?ﾃｹ窶堙可行窶堙ｭ窶堙ｪ窶堋ｽ窶敕 ﾂ催溪?堙俄?堙や?堋｢窶堙?、ﾅｽﾃ｡窶堋ｵ窶堋ｭ窶堙坂?敕?催溪?堋ｪﾂ行窶堙ｭ窶堙ｪ窶堙ｦ窶堋､窶堙??堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢窶堙ｩ窶堋ｱ窶堙??堙 窶堙や?堋｢窶堙??冦窶堙≫?堙??堋｢窶堙ｩ窶堙??戳窶堙溪?堙ｧ窶堙ｪ窶堙ｩﾅｽﾃ停?堙ｰ窶凖｢ﾅｽ~窶堋ｳ窶堋ｹ窶堙?ｽﾂｿ窶禿｢窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩ窶堋ｱ窶堙??堋ｪ窶堙??堋ｫ窶堙ｩﾂ。

In response to the bold writting. Now law is open for interpretaion so nothing is set in stone, but that sentence in bold gives the police the right to question Daves response. "rationaly thinking" "ﾂ坂?｡窶板昶?廬窶堙? in Japan today European looking Japanese are very , very rare. So the police officer naturally has to question the fact to whether indeed this foreign looking person is infact a Japanese citizen. The cold hard facts are that citzens of Japan are 99% asian looking(I have no data, but you get the idea). So now you may ask what suspicsious activity was he doing? Again from a rational stand point it could have been percieved that he was trying to avoid not being able to produce any sort of documentation that that person was staying in Japan illegaly. So I say the officer had leagl basis to question him.

Debito IS a Japanese citizen. I have seen or heard no evidence that he was acting suspicious. If he was, then the police would have the right to ask. But he was approached and asked for his alien card. When asked why, "You looked foreign" was the answer. As I said, the officer fumbled.

Like I said before ,the pure fact that him saying he was Japanese could be interpreted as a suspicious answer. Unfortunately or fortunately which ever way you look at it, some of us foreingers do not look asian which makes identifing foreigners a little eaiser. Is this racial profiling? I don't know

You also mentioned racial profiling being used to efficiently capture a suspect. Let's say that a report goes out that a black-haired Caucasian man committed robbery. Stopping black-haired Caucasian men near the scene of the crime for investigation would make sense here. But there was no crime. There was no suspect being searched for. So your example here is sadly irrelevant.
.....Only when there is reasonable cause to assume that the party in question committed a crime, is in the midst of committing a crime, or may commit a crime.
That doesn't justify it being done here.

Like I said before, he could have been a overstayer, which police are always on the look out for.

Or the police officer could have followed the law and police regulation. Not everybody likes being treated like second-class residents, but I think we have to agree to disagree here.
Also, driver's licenses don't include your honseki anymore, so they cannot be used to prove nationality. Japanese citizens are NOT required by law to carry identification. So how can they be legally required to show it?

Like someone else said earlier, until there are enough people who look european and are Japanese, this is some thing you are going to have put up with. And I am not so sure that this constitutes being treated like a second class citizen though???
As for the licence ,it is all on an IC chip so they will be able to check that way.

 

[Chidoriashi]

Pachipro> I have a question. You said you were sentenced to 7 years hard labor, but suspended for 3 years? Forgive my ignorance, but can you explain what that means? Did you go to prison for a while?
I know laws are very strict here for drugs etc... but for such a small amount and for all of your willful compliance... it seems like quite a severe sentence.

 

[orochi]

So the police officer naturally has to question the fact to whether indeed this foreign looking person is infact a Japanese citizen.

You're putting the cart before the horse, though.
Before he was even approached by the officer, there had to be a rationally-based reason to stop him.

 

[JimmySeal]

Like I said before, he could have been a overstayer, which police are always on the look out for.

The existence of a crime that only foreigners can commit should not give police carte blanche to stop any foreign(-looking) person as they so choose because they might be overstaying their visa. Why not stop random people on the street at all hours of the day and check them for concealed weapons? That's a crime everyone can commit.

 

[orochi]

The existence of a crime that only foreigners can commit should not give police carte blanche to stop any foreign(-looking) person as they so choose because they might be overstaying their visa. Why not stop random people on the street at all hours of the day and check them for concealed weapons? That's a crime everyone can commit.

In Akihabara and Shinjuku, there are random bag searches going on. It's pretty pathetic.

And most foreigners living in Japan are Korean or Chinese (relatively indistinguishable from Japanese in appearance). What are you going to do about them, FrustratedDave? Based on numbers, they're probably going to contain the most numerous overstayers as well. Do we set up roadblocks and stop everybody who goes through? What do we do when a Japanese national, who as I mentioned is not required by law to carry any identification, proclaims that they are Japanese? Do we haul them off to prison until a family member shows up with proof?

 

[FrustratedDave]

You're putting the cart before the horse, though.
Before he was even approached by the officer, there had to be a rationally-based reason to stop him.

Again , there is the G8 in town so there could be a number of reasons the police could use to ask him to show it, all with reasonable intent.

Look ,I don't agree with the fact that if they were only asking foreigners to show ID, if they were going to do it it should be across the board. But from the perspective of whether they(police) were breaking the law by asking him, by simple definition no they weren't. The racial profiling is a whole different kettle of fish in my book.

 

[orochi]

Again , there is the G8 in town so there could be a number of reasons the police could use to ask him to show it, all with reasonable intent.

Are you aware of what happened in this situation? As I mentioned before, the police officer told him that he was stopped because he "looked foreign". It's on tape. Listen to it yourself.

Is that reasonable grounds to stop someone?
Keep in mind that the only acts of terrorism on Japanese soil have been committed by Japanese citizens.

 

[Ashikaga]

The following comment is about the specific incident documented in the site by "debito" that someone had provided a link to earlier.

G8 Summit in town. Reports of possible demonstrations by Black Bloc. Stopping every single person at an airport not logistically feasible. Stop those fit the profile.

Is it wrong? Yes, it is. Is it necessary in certain circumstances? Sadly, yes.

If you can suggest a better way, please do. I am sure many people all over the world would really appreciate that.

These people's job is to PREVENT things from happening. The police officer on the tape sounds unconfortable and apologetic about having to do what he was doing. However, instead of telling debito that it was a mistake on his part and will not happen again, he does tell debito to expect the possibility of being stopped again while the summit is going on. Why? Because there is a reason behind what he is doing. He is not stopping foreign-looking people because he doesn't like "outsiders". Should you take offence? Sure, why not? Nobody likes to be singled out just because you look a certain way. Should you see the bigger picture and let it go? I would.

 

[orochi]

Should you see the bigger picture and let it go? I would.

I'm not trying to attack you personally when I say this, but it's a mindset like this that keeps progress from happening. If you don't stand up for your own rights, who will? Nobody.

 

[caster51]

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act - Wikipedia

i think Japan should do same...

By LANCE BRAMAN
Sano, Tochigi

Regarding Debito Arudou's July 1 Just Be Cause column, "July forecast: rough with ID checks mainly in the north": Arudou claims he was stopped at Chitose Airport (Sapporo) last month merely for being "Caucasian." Yet, on his own Web site, Arudou admitted that he had "hung around" and had a tape recorder already recording! He posted photos of the police that he took from the shelter of the baggage-claim area. In other words, he was not some "innocent pedestrian" grabbed by an overzealous policeman; he was fishing for trouble.

It is a shame that Arudou chooses to further distort the facts by claiming that Japanese police enjoy "unfettered power" -- even though the police have been repeatedly and increasingly called to task by the courts -- and that there is "insufficient media scrutiny." The media in Japan regularly champion the cause of standing up to police and governmental excesses. If there is insufficient media scrutiny, it is of Arudou's outlandish claims.

Every Group of Eight summit in recent memory has had problems with protesters and complaints of overzealous police. Last year's summit in Germany had more than 16,000 officers and 1,000 troops mobilized, and a 12-km wall built around the town. Police detained more than 1,000 protesters and expelled hundreds. Dozens were detained the previous year in Russia, hundreds the year before in Britain, which also used a special law to conduct random stops and personal searches.

Perhaps these countries as well should be banned from hosting international events. Or perhaps it might behoove individuals to act like responsible adults and not loiter around airports acting suspiciously by taking pictures of police during a time of increased security.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/rc20080706a3.html
I was relieved there was a foreigner who has a common sense and is truthful in Japan.
Japan Times Tokyo Confidential with amusing anecdotes about G8 gifts and local offput business… | debito.org
is he doing a such things as just his self-satisfaction ?

it is called "hooking policeman incident at chitose"

 

[orochi]

it is called "hooking policeman incident at chitose"

The police officer approached him.
Do you have any knowledge of this incident?
All it looks like you're doing is acting on a personal grudge.

 

[caster51]

The police officer approached him.

why was he there?
because he was strolling to hook them

if someone is looking for a cute girl to hooking and strolling at airport, it would be easy to understand he was....
Or, did it happen by chance?

All it looks like you're doing is acting on a personal grudge

??
The activist is an object criticized as much as he does.

 

[orochi]

because he was strolling to hook them
why was he there?

It's an airport. Why do you think he was there?
He got off a plane, went to pick up his luggage, and was approached.
End of story.

 

[Ashikaga]

why was he there?
because he was strolling to hook them

It doesn't really matter if he was, like you say, trying to "hook" the police.
The fact is they DID stop him and admitted that he was stopped because he looked foreign.

What we are talking about here is the action of the police itself.

 

[FrustratedDave]

The existence of a crime that only foreigners can commit should not give police carte blanche to stop any foreign(-looking) person as they so choose because they might be overstaying their visa. Why not stop random people on the street at all hours of the day and check them for concealed weapons? That's a crime everyone can commit.

I agree they should not have the right to do what you are saying, but are they really doing that?

Are you aware of what happened in this situation? As I mentioned before, the police officer told him that he was stopped because he "looked foreign". It's on tape. Listen to it yourself.
Is that reasonable grounds to stop someone?
Keep in mind that the only acts of terrorism on Japanese soil have been committed by Japanese citizens.

In Akihabara and Shinjuku, there are random bag searches going on. It's pretty pathetic.
And most foreigners living in Japan are Korean or Chinese (relatively indistinguishable from Japanese in appearance). What are you going to do about them, FrustratedDave? Based on numbers, they're probably going to contain the most numerous overstayers as well. Do we set up roadblocks and stop everybody who goes through? What do we do when a Japanese national, who as I mentioned is not required by law to carry any identification, proclaims that they are Japanese? Do we haul them off to prison until a family member shows up with proof?

No ,you are right there is no base to check on the grounds of just being a foreigner. But just b/c one cop obviously messed up what he was trying to say, does not mean the whole police force was doing what is being said here. For all we know Dave could have been acting suspiciously around them just so he could be picked up and questioned. Obviously that is speculation, but you have to wonder, he was hanging around the exit taking photos and what ever else. I would love to know how many times he went through before being asked.
As for crimes commited by foreigners, chinese have the highest percentage and the most of the top spots are filled by other asian countries amoung others.( By no means am I trying to make this racial, just stating the facts) So you have to ask yourself why would the police be racial profiling on European or any other obviously foreign looking person? What do they have to gain from it? I just don't see the police as having predjudicial intents, or to the extent that some people are saying. Remember it is the G8 summit.

 

[caster51]

It doesn't really matter if he was, like you say, trying to "hook" the police.
The fact is they DID stop him and admitted that he was stopped because he looked foreign.
What we are talking about here is the action of the police itself.

at first a police said ' can you speak Japanese. please show me an alien registration card because you looked foreign.
debit said why asked me.
police said " I am asking everybody..
debito said " I was looking at it for long time.
debito said why dont you ask other asian guy
a police said " you were looked foreign.
until that, a police never said " please show me your ID because looked foreign
a police said alien registration card because he looked foreign
a police never said " only white ppl are cheked"
if a police asked a Japanese looked, he would say "please show me your driver licence". what is wrong?
anyway, police said the purpose very polietly as possible as he can... G8
" I make you a trouble. however, the G8 is held. ....

 

[Ashikaga]

I'd still say the police's action was a reaction to the reports of Black Blocing (or blocking) activities in Europe and in the US.

I cannot even try to describe a typical person who is likely to be involved in such activities but I would not be surprised "caucasian" was one of the descriptions the police came up with. Wether they were right in that assumption or not, I don't know.

Again, I am not for racial profiling. It is just that they have to do it in certain circumstances and I understand that.

 

[pipokun]

ARUDOU: Uh, sorry, but I have been watching you for quite some time, and you haven't confirmed anyone's identity with anyone at all thus far.

窶猫窶慊ｹﾂ：窶堋ｦﾂー窶堙?、窶堋ｷ窶堙昶?堙懌?堋ｹ窶堙ｱ窶堋ｪﾂ、窶堋ｸ窶堙≫?堙?陳ｩ窶堙??堋｢窶堋ｽ窶堙ｱ窶堙??堋ｷ窶堋ｯ窶堙ｪ窶堙??堙?ﾂ、ﾋ?ｪﾂ人窶堙?ﾂ、ﾂ債｡窶堙懌?堙??堙最?m窶戳窶堋ｵ窶堙遺?堋ｩ窶堙≫?堋ｽ窶堙??堋ｷ窶堙仰。

I don't know how rational it is that someone, Japanese or not, has been watching the cop for quite some time at the airport on the special occasion.

orochi finds the cop unreasonable, though.

*snip*
The bike check is a bit tricky, for the next (very humble) counter argument by cops (only from my past personal experiences) must be something like, "well, we have many bicycle thefts around here. I highly appreciate your cooperation". Just one minute when you show off the bike registration, but it must be quite some time when you challenge the reasonableness.

When I was 14 or 15, it was interesting to do the latter, now I become more practical to choose the 1 minute.

 

[KirinMan]

You know from reading this thread I see/think that there are people here that just want to find the police guilty of something.

They are doing their job and like I wrote previously in a country as large as Japan is the number of citizens that look like Dave are extremely slim.

I also think that there are people here that are overly sensitive to anything the police do, right or wrong.

 

[orochi]

You know from reading this thread I see/think that there are people here that just want to find the police guilty of something.

Who are you referring to? And on what basis?
Trolling will get you nowhere.

They are doing their job and like I wrote previously in a country as large as Japan is the number of citizens that look like Dave are extremely slim. I also think that there are people here that are overly sensitive to anything the police do, right or wrong.

So what if they are "doing their job"? They are doing it on my tax dollars and yours. If there's room for improvement, it needs to be made. If they don't follow their own regulations, then something needs to be done.

You think some people are overly sensitive. The way I see it is that some people are apathetic. For people who are only living here a couple years or just messing around after college, that can make some sense. Others are here for the long term, have families, and can't stand the thought of their family and friends facing the same problems they had to. The apathetic can stay quite and do what they want. That's fine. But they don't need to get huffy when people who care stand up and do something.

 

[Pachipro]

Pachipro> I have a question. You said you were sentenced to 7 years hard labor, but suspended for 3 years? Forgive my ignorance, but can you explain what that means? Did you go to prison for a while?
I know laws are very strict here for drugs etc... but for such a small amount and for all of your willful compliance... it seems like quite a severe sentence.

No I did not go to prison. The suspended sentence ment that if I was clean for three years and did not get arrested again, I would not have to serve the sentence. Also, there was no period of probation, nor did I have to report anywhere or to anyone.

The laws were, and probably still are, very strict and they do not take it lightly even in the case of a joint of marajuana. Yes the sentence was quite severe because I spoke TOO MUCH of my personal feelings to the prosecutor before being indicted and it was used against me. In her words (yes her), she said that I had no idea as to the severe harm that hash and marajuana could to do me and that, again in her words, I may be "addicted" and never get over it and would probably use it again.

As in America, the same holds true in Japan, "Anything you say, can and will be used against you in a court of law". Therefore if you ever are arrested, keep your mouth shut, tell the truth about what you were arrested or being questioned for, but don't offer anything else like, "How long have you smoked this stuff?" Answer: "Oh about 5 years!" Question: "Do you think it is addicting?" Answer: "No, I believe it is safer than drinking alcohol" Wrong answers! It was my fault I received such a harsh sentence. Luckily the judges had mercy on me and believed my apology.

It's best to play their game and give them the answers they want to hear and not what you really believe.

 

[KirinMan]

Who are you referring to? And on what basis?
Trolling will get you nowhere.

Dude do you think I just fell out of a tree? Nice try I'll give you a few points for style.

So what if they are "doing their job"? They are doing it on my tax dollars and yours. If there's room for improvement, it needs to be made. If they don't follow their own regulations, then something needs to be done.

First off it isnt my tax $$$$ it's my tax ﾂ?渉?渉?渉?渉??
Next, room for improvement? By whose standards? By whose laws? These laws and police have managed to keep this country relatively crime free for the past 60 plus years or so. Doesnt seem to be too bad to me.

Sure improvements are probably in order, but what job doesnt have a need for them. but heres the key they have to be done the Japanese way and they shouldnt be influenced by people discussing their gripes on an internet forum either.

This is funny though in a sick way, people are willing to complain and moan about their relative safety here in Japan and are willing to complain about the people that make it so and want them to change, but without realizing that probably along with that change will come more crime, all in the name of being PC.

I'll take these minor inconveniences vs a further rise in crime anyday.

You think some people are overly sensitive. The way I see it is that some people are apathetic. For people who are only living here a couple years or just messing around after college, that can make some sense.

Yeah I do think they are overly sensitive, it shows in their misunderstanding of the culture and the methods of the police here.

Apathetic? You missed the one about the people that support the police and their non-evasive way of handling things, that is until you get on their radar screen for one reason or another.

Others are here for the long term, have families, and can't stand the thought of their family and friends facing the same problems they had to. The apathetic can stay quite and do what they want. That's fine. But they don't need to get huffy when people who care stand up and do something.

Oh geez, sounds a bit overly dramatic here. I have found through experience that people create their own situations and the key is dont put yourself into situations where you could get into trouble.

There are exceptions to every rule as well.

Oh and lastly here; If I was the cop that stopped Dave I probably would have done the same thing, and I personally feel while Dave may be doing some decent work in brining awareness to others about issues here in Japan he comes across to me as having this huge mountain of a chip on his shoulder and is always willing to go the extra yard to blow his horn about it.

Hell if someone is so butt ugly hurt about the issue they have another option too......leave.

 

[Chidoriashi]

KirinMan> This is a little bit off the topic. But I don't believe that Japan being a safe-low crime country has even half to do with the police doing their job. Crime any country is much more complicated than a matter of the police just doing their job. Do they contribute? Of course... but giving them all the credit for Japan's safety I think is a vast overstatement.