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Japanese Police

Chidoriashi

In imagination land
2 Feb 2007
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I would like to take this moment and commend the Japanese police, at least in my city. Today while riding my bicycle I was hit by a car. My injuries were fairly minor. The police were called to the scene and I would like to say they were extremely polite, courteous and professional. I was not treated like a ravenous beast or some shadowy figure that they should be suspicious of. My treatment was fair and equal.

So it really makes me wonder sometimes about people who post on this forum and elsewhere about how horrible the police are. In reality my only conclusion is that their own behavior really must be what begets their "bad treatment". Now, I am sure that there are some people at some point in time that have been genuinely treated badly. But after this experience I must the Japanese police's bad reputation with foreigners is certainly blow out of proportion.
 
I have no personal experience with the Japanese police (since I've never been to Japan hehe) and just know of the stories I've read in the forum and not all of them were bad stories. Like any Law enforcement group there are some good officers and some not so good officers, you met with the good ones, how frequent that is for foreigners I can only guess, but it'll proberly be no more than meeting the not so good ones.
 
You got good cops and lesser good cops. It just depend on what kind of day they have. Some people are frustrated. Some people have a wonderful day. I believe there is a hero in all of us and that there will always be a good spot in us. After all,who are we to judge who is good and not good???
 
You got good cops and lesser good cops. It just depend on what kind of day they have. Some people are frustrated. Some people have a wonderful day. I believe there is a hero in all of us and that there will always be a good spot in us. After all,who are we to judge who is good and not good???

I think it does totally depend on the kind of day they are having. I mean they are only human right? I've just come to the conclusion after living more than 5 years of my life here that the police are not the monsters out to get the foreigners that some people believe them to be. I think your own attitude towards them makes all the difference. If you treat them with respect then they will do the same to you. I mean, it is really almost common sense. If you act like an arrogant a**, then that is exactly how I'm sure you can expect to be treated.
 
I think it does totally depend on the kind of day they are having. I mean they are only human right? I've just come to the conclusion after living more than 5 years of my life here that the police are not the monsters out to get the foreigners that some people believe them to be. I think your own attitude towards them makes all the difference. If you treat them with respect then they will do the same to you. I mean, it is really almost common sense. If you act like an arrogant a**, then that is exactly how I'm sure you can expect to be treated.

yes what you say is true! I think if you just stay polite they will be polite too! Ah what the heck are we talking about?:p We're all humans and from time to time we also have our own bad days.:D
 
I would like to take this moment and commend the Japanese police, at least in my city. Today while riding my bicycle I was hit by a car. My injuries were fairly minor. The police were called to the scene and I would like to say they were extremely polite, courteous and professional. I was not treated like a ravenous beast or some shadowy figure that they should be suspicious of. My treatment was fair and equal.

So it really makes me wonder sometimes about people who post on this forum and elsewhere about how horrible the police are. In reality my only conclusion is that their own behavior really must be what begets their "bad treatment". Now, I am sure that there are some people at some point in time that have been genuinely treated badly. But after this experience I must the Japanese police's bad reputation with foreigners is certainly blow out of proportion.


It should be obvious, you're part of the conspiracy. I mean, right? :D
 
I've had three incidents now where I felt I was treated/singled out unfairly over the last 10 years... and no it wasn't because of anything *I * did to warrant such treatment despite what the OP may think. And I am pretty sure Christopher Savoie could certainly wager he's had a negative experience thus far...

Dad in Japan custody battle thought wife would take kids - CNN.com
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/rss/nn20091003a2.html#
http://www.newschannel5.com/global/story.asp?s=11240268#

I suppose you could just consider yourself lucky you've never had any problems with the local law enforcement.
 
I've had numerous encounters with the Japanese police over the last quarter-century and have nothing to report other than entirely professional behavior.

And as an aside I will offer the opinion that more foreigners have their a$$es on their shoulders than think they have their a$$es on their shoulders and given the tendency for most foreigners in general to grossly overestimate their own Japanese ability, after-the-fact unsupported self-reported claims about verbal interactions are likely best taken with a couple pounds of salt. Throw into the mix the fact that practically ZERO people have the slightest idea about even the barest basics of their own criminal justice apparatus, much less that of Japan.
 
I've had three incidents now where I felt I was treated/singled out unfairly over the last 10 years... and no it wasn't because of anything *I * did to warrant such treatment despite what the OP may think. And I am pretty sure Christopher Savoie could certainly wager he's had a negative experience thus far...
Dad in Japan custody battle thought wife would take kids - CNN.com
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/rss/nn20091003a2.html#
http://www.newschannel5.com/global/story.asp?s=11240268#
I suppose you could just consider yourself lucky you've never had any problems with the local law enforcement.

Well I am sorry that you have had some negative experiences. As I said before, I am sure there are instances where people have genuinely been treated badly, so I'm not one to necessarily disagree with you especially considering you have not disclosed any details of the circumstances.

The Mr. Savoie story is indeed sad, however, I don't think this is an issue of treatment by the police. I personally side with him, but the police who put him in jail were just following Japanese law. It was not an alleged case of "let's pick on the foreigner" which he now apparently is not (if I read the story right, he has Japanese citizenship).

Lastly, I don't think luck and my fair treatment in this country have any relationship. On the contrary, I would contest that it is you that have unfortunately been unlucky thus far in your time here.
 
I've had numerous encounters with the Japanese police over the last quarter-century and have nothing to report other than entirely professional behavior.

And as an aside I will offer the opinion that more foreigners have their a$$es on their shoulders than think they have their a$$es on their shoulders and given the tendency for most foreigners in general to grossly overestimate their own Japanese ability, after-the-fact unsupported self-reported claims about verbal interactions are likely best taken with a couple pounds of salt. Throw into the mix the fact that practically ZERO people have the slightest idea about even the barest basics of their own criminal justice apparatus, much less that of Japan.
Exactly.

I too have had many dealings with the police department through work, always fair in thosew situations.
 
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