Japan residents with foreign roots raise voices over racial profiling

""Syed, who is self-employed and lives in the suburbs of Nagoya, is one of three male plaintiffs in a civil suit filed in January 2024 against the Aichi prefectural police, Tokyo metropolitan police and the state, seeking 3.3 million yen in damages per person.""

""seeking 3.3 million yen in damages per person."" This is a BAD START, seeking $$$ is NOT the way to go about this issue, how about bringing the issue to the spotlight by filling the civil suit without any personal benefits.

So Wrong, Not a single yen will be rewarded by the court, trust me.

WoodyLeeToday  06:55 am JST

""seeking 3.3 million yen in damages per person."" This is a BAD START, seeking $$ is NOT the way to go about this issue, how about bringing the issue to the spotlight by filling the civil suit without any personal benefits.

Indeed, I wouldn't dream of asking for anything like that amount of money unless I'd actually been wrongfully arrested and detained for a lengthy period of time.

US Embassy sent a tweet warning about foreigners being stopped and searched based on racial profiling in Japan

Oh the irony.....

USA currently in the middle of the greatest, racist round up based on "racial profiling " since the enforced internment of Japanese during WW2.

Woody....most civil cases have a money/penalty aspect sought as part of the claim.

Nothing unusual.

Probably the Japanese lawyer suggested it.

Good on them and wish them the best of luck. Don't think they will get anywhere near 3.3 in damages though. But should increase awareness of this issue.

Repeated stops by police can get rather annoying.

I’m white. In my first five years in Japan (early 90s), I was stopped regularly. On one occasion, they told me it was because I was riding my wife’s red bicycle. Guy’s apparently didn’t commonly ride red bikes at that time. Months later, my wife and I were approached by a cop at a station bike-parking area and then detained for several hours at the nearby koban, accused of stealing that red bike — until they ran the registration number and discovered my wife as the rightful owner.

When I would tell my Japanese colleagues about the frequent stops, they would often ask questions like, “Were you wearing jeans?”

Today, I never get stopped.

Although this annoyance doesn’t happen to me anymore, I realize that others remain victims, and I genuinely feel for them.

Good luck in the effort to eliminate this form of discrimination/harassment.

In a racist country, racial profiling is not merely a matter of misguided policing tactics; it is an institutionalized assumption masquerading as security logic.

The reasoning is laughably simplistic: visible foreignness equals heightened suspicion. It’s is a formula that ignores legal status, cultural integration, or actual behavior in favor of a crude, aesthetic shortcut.

And so it begins for Japan.

"... public anxiety is growing against foreigners not following rules."

Following rules and the law are entirely different things and should be dealt with accordingly. I wish these gentlemen "with foreign roots" the best of luck. Any effort to improve matters and create awareness are commendable.

Maybe we should be asking why Japanese police feel a need to question foreigners based on their appearance?

Police in any country are attracted by ‘differences’ and the police here are no different.

If some people look different by their garb or hairstyle or skin color then they will draw attention.

If I see Arabs with headresses then I too might see that as ‘unusual’ in Tokyo but not in London.

The police are the same.

In Europe and the US the number of crimes committed by certain ethnicities is negatively weighted and in disproportion to the percentage of population.

In the US,black on black homocides outnumber any other ethnicity.

Should the police disregard that statistic and not search blacks more often Asians?

Of course, Japan is not a multi ethnic country and maybe there are benefits to that.

The job of the police is crime prevention.

Let them do their job!

This “racial profiling”is one of the throwbacks from when Japan was a quaint backwater with no contact with the outside world. While Japan has advanced in many ways and largely integrated with the rest of the world in trade and technological advancement, it’s cute to see these remnants of a primitive isolated society where the outside was considered strange and scary.

Not everything is about race.

it’s cute

”Cute” is not the word these people are using to describe their experience. And probably not the term you would use if in their shoes.

If I am stopped by the police in Japan then I’m fine with it.

If it were to happen once a month on my way to work or return to home then I might ask the reasons why.

However, being stopped once a year is insignificant.

@Boston

my wife and I were approached by a cop at a station bike-parking area and then detained for several hours at the nearby koban, accused of stealing that red bike — until they ran the registration number and discovered my wife as the rightful owner.

Being detained for several hours just because they can ran registration number fast enough, that can't be accepted at all.

They might just do other things to you like checking your belongings and interrogating you and your wife, while delaying that registration number result.

Good to see the police doing their job. The courts have more important things to do than pander to attention seekers.

@The_Beagle @WoodyLee

They have strong case, because they obtain an official instruction manual that encourages officers to have a firm belief that people who appear to have foreign background and do not speak Japanese must have committed some kind of illegal act.

https://www.ntv.co.jp/englishnews/articles/2021kzw3lg0feip22nn0.html

In a racist country, racial profiling is not merely a matter of misguided policing tactics; it is an institutionalized assumption masquerading as security logic.

The reasoning is laughably simplistic: visible foreignness equals heightened suspicion. It’s is a formula that ignores legal status, cultural integration, or actual behavior in favor of a crude, aesthetic shortcut.

I agree. institutional racism is the backbone of the so called Japanese "Justice system" as well as Japanese society as a whole.

“This is a BAD START, seeking $$ is NOT the way to go about this issue,”

It’s a civil suit. They have to ask for money. A citizen can’t compel the government to create a law.

What’s he going to ask for? An apology?

@Boston

I’ve had my bicycle stolen from a bicycle parking lot.

On another occasion my bicycle seat and several other bicycle seats were slashed by a knife, I presume.

Both these incidents left a foul taste in my mouth.

So, as these areas can be vast and not open to scrutiny then there might be valid reasons for police to be suspicious of someone ‘different.’

Did you find why the cop was hanging out in the bicycle parking?

I am sure that it just wasn’t for your red bicycle.

@sakurasuki

Being detained for several hours just because they can ran registration number fast enough, that can't be accepted at all. 

They might just do other things to you like checking your belongings and interrogating you and your wife, while delaying that registration number result.

You are wise beyond your years, @sakurasuki. That is exactly what happened!

The police basically used this false “theft” accusation to detain and question us about far more than the bicycle and go through our belongings.

And if this was happening to us, it was likely occurring to every other foreign resident in our Tokyo neighborhood.

It is fascinating when some dark sides of Japan are exposed publicly the apologetic groups and water Japan does is good need to find a justification for such wrong actions and throw the whataboutism to keep things as they are.

Truth is that Japan always had a green light about this issue but as foreigners where less than before and due to the geographical position the rest of the world always turned it's head but nowadays the racial and xenophobic behaviour by some elements of the law can't be ignored anymore.

@Boston

Debito always advise to avoid at all cost to enter "their office" at all cost, since things will become much slower since they'll run the whole "procedure"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debito_Arudou

.

used this false “theft” accusation to detain and question us about far more than the bicycle and go through our belongings.

It's their standard tactics, first make people shock and try to prove their innocence (ie: accusing for a theft), while at the same time getting people compliance, which will cost people time while at the same time it won't decrease crime rate since most of those people is innocent from the beginning.

It is fascinating when some dark sides of Japan are exposed publicly the apologetic groups and water Japan does is good need to find a justification for such wrong actions and throw the whataboutism to keep things as they are.

exactly! Tell me about it.

@kurisupisu

Did you find why the cop was hanging out in the bicycle parking?

Yes, the cop said that he was waiting for us (among hundreds of bicycles) because someone had claimed that the red bicycle was theirs. It doesn’t seem plausible, but that was his story. (It was about 19:00, and we were returning from a day out. We had two bikes in that lot — her red one and my black one.)

Of course, the cop could have easily confirmed ownership of the red bicycle beforehand by checking the prominently displayed bicycle registration number!

Good to see the police doing their job. The courts have more important things to do than pander to attention seekers.

Checking out people based on hair style and skin color is NOT "the police doing their job". And your skin color, if different from the majority, is definitely NOT "attention seeking".

@Boston

Yes, the cop said that he was waiting for us (among hundreds of bicycles) because someone had claimed that the red bicycle was theirs. It doesn’t seem plausible, but that was his story.

Did you bring your bicycle registration paper? Even if it exist, sometimes they just want to do exercise their "procedure" so it's not that really matter.

The job of the police is crime prevention.

Let them do their job!

Good to see the police doing their job.

'Why not let police stop you if you don't have anything to hide,'

I totally agree with the above comments.

I have no problem to get stopped by the police, because I have nothing to hide.

I had 2 times an encounter with the police, and both was because of traffic problems.

First I had a car accident, and the police was very friendly and helpful. All the documents and questonaire procedures were zero problems, and the police officers helped me with everything.

Second, I did a wrong parking in front of a train station. I came out of the station and the police was waiting at my car. As soon as they saw me, they were very friendly and explained me that I am not allowed to park in this area. But no punishment, nothing.

My Japanese co-worker told me that if I am a Japanese, I had for sure to pay a punishment for wrong parking about 30000yen.

So in that case I was lucky to be a foreigner.

And if police stops you on the street, what is the problem?.... as long as you have nothing to hide...you have nothing to worry about.

If those were genuine Japanese, they would not complain and keep the harmony. "Paper" Japanese they are, always to complain about how they are harassed because they are different. THEY are so different.

No harm done, so what .

Japanese will just despise them more and show police were correct because Japanese would always keep low profile in such cases. Patience and stoicism are high Japanese traits ingrained in culture.

Japanese don’t want to change and it is their rights. I don’t like it for most but that is the way they are in their country. This has nothing to do with human rights.

Ideally the plaintiffs would get somewhere with this. I'm white and I've been stopped by the police exactly once in the 17 years I've been here. And it was justified, i.e. they had good cause.

Whereas the people referenced in this story, who are described as "born to Pakistani parents" and "African American", get stopped multiple times.

Course there may be white people who get stopped frequently, but I'm inclined to agree with the idea that says the police are far more likely to target non-white people. What will actually happen as a result of all this, is anyone's guess.

And so it begins for Japan.

You must be new in Japan, welcome!

And if police stops you on the street, what is the problem?.... as long as you have nothing to hide...you have nothing to worry about.

It depends on the frequency.

As I mentioned above, in my first five years in Japan (early 90s), I was stopped regularly — about once monthly.

It’s exasperating, particularly because you are usually on your way to some place and don’t desire the delay — yet again!

For others whose stops have been far less pleasant than yours or mine, repeated questioning can become harassing — like an unwanted partner who won’t stop visiting or calling.

""Woody....most civil cases have a money/penalty aspect sought as part of the claim.

Nothing unusual.

Probably the Japanese lawyer suggested it.""

Agree, This should have been A Class Action Lawsuit.

I got stopped and asked for my ID once in front of a conbini. I refused to show it to them until they told me what crime they suspected me of. They insisted. so did I. It went back and forth for awhile. One cop got really mad, but the other one must have realized they didn't have anything, because he pulled Deputy Angry aside and conferred with him, then they just left.

@Boston

And now you don’t get stopped?

Why is that do you think?

Police stalking foreigners is not the way to do it. Radical profiling is always questionable.

OK....few days ago at the beach I was talking to a French guy, long time resident in Japan.

He likes ocean swimming with fins/flippers , about 100 metres of shore .

He dropped a flipper, it settled on the bottom , and, wearing a wet suit , with buoyancy, it took him about half a dozen times to submerge and retrieve the flipper.

Meanwhile on shore, a nosy Japanese man, was suspicious.

Maybe this foreigner was collecting mussels or similar....without a permit.

Better call the Police .....who came down quickly....questioned our French ocean swimming friend , then demanded they be shown his car ....lest a batch of shell fish was hidden there....no shellfish....but still not satisfied the Police demanded Frenchy call his wife...at her work.

Finally, he was allowed to go on his way.

Ahhh....the busy Japanese Police.....keeping streets safe and shell fish unmolested.....unmollescted even.

Good on them. I wish them the best of luck; they'll need it.

I've been racially profiled several times in my years in Japan. Cops want to pad me down because "we do this with everyone". That has happened several times while I'm walking in Harajuku, Machida, inside the train station going from platform to platform, Ota-shi and other places.

One of those times, they wanted to see if the credit cards I have in my wallet matched the name on my ID. That turned into an argument.

A different time I'm driving while at work and get stopped by the cops at a traffic light in Roppongi area. I asked what the problem was and he said "we" just want to ask you some questions. When I look thru the mirrors, I have four cops surrounding my van and the questions were like "where, are you going, where do to live, when and why are you driving?" Etc. Nothing traffic related.

Maybe it is my brown skin color and facial features. Or maybe they're just doing their job as they should. But when it happens more than often, it feels a bit different than "just their job".

A different time, a co-worker who's Japanese but who also has mixed heritage and doesn't look Asian, had a similar situation and cops wanted to see inside the trunk of her car. No reasons given other than "they just do this often with everyone".

I hope the plaintiffs at least succeed in making the public aware this happens.

And now you don’t get stopped?

Why is that do you think?

Maybe it became less fulfilling the more it was done.

The police need to act on anything they feel suspicious. Call it what you will, but appearance of a person plays a lot into their judgement. Naturally there will be cases where they will be over playing their card, like the bike example above belonging to his wife, but in those cases they should have processes in place to clear that up. It needs understanding on both sides, that the police need to act on appearance to, to do their job. At the same time, maybe don’t look suspicious. One should appreciate that if you live in a certain area and the police know you, then you will probably go off the radar. It’s about integration into the community. Actually one should see it as a good sign, because it means the police are protecting the area for the better safety of your family.

@Boston,

If you are not under arrest you are not obliged to follow the police to a koban for "voluntary questioning" (or any other questioning). Just ask them "Am I under arrest?", followed by "Am I free to go?" (or else say you are busy and tell them you are going home), and then leave.

Also, if you are not under arrest, they can't search your bag or do a "body check" unless they have a warrant. Simply ask them "Do you have a warrant?", followed by a polite "then, in that case I decline".

If you are arrested, you do not have to answer their questions. Request a lawyer. Silence is never evidence of guilt.

where i live, 'crime' is licked. still everyone drives too fast for anyone's safety, and many are playing with their phones while driving. i wish police would reimagine their job so as to protect and serve as actually needed.

Been waiting for some data on this issue. If it's racial profiling there must be significant numbers of similar cases involving persons of similar racial profile.

1 person being stopped 17 times over the years is vastly different than 17 similar looking persons being stopped 1 time over a short period

Drawing attention to this is fair enough but what needs to be adressed is how are the Japanese police supposed to know that Black/White/Arabic people whose ethnicity is very obvious in Japan are in fact Japanese citizens?

Something's not being given attention here in this case and you have to say it's the J citizens with foreign roots who are not providing that context.

When Mr Sayad's been stopped, has he ever referred the police to his local koban's officers who have records of every citizen/resident in their areas of responsibility?

For example a few years ago I experienced an issue with mistaken identity and instead of getting hostile with the police showed my driver's license and told them where I lived including the name of an officer in my local koban. Problem solved without escalating. I'm not a citizen but I've taken the time and effort to get to know the local law enforcement, chonaikai etc.

Has Mr Sayed made an effort to get to know local police that way? Or the other people in the lawsuit? I wouldn't be surprised that all the plaintiffs have done the argumentative way instead of being cool and showing ID.

And regardless of any 'But they shouldn't have to!' - how the hell do the J police and anybody else including other foreigners know they are Japanese citizens on sight or should assume that? Anybody who doesn't know these men wouldn't have a lick of recognition that they're Japanese citizens.

If you are not under arrest you are not obliged to

You’re absolutely correct. That’s the letter of the law.

But I’ve also now been in Japan long enough to realize that the Japanese police can use a lot of means to get whatever information they desire.

It’s best to cooperate to quickly move matters along and maintain peace of mind.

I have lived in Japan for 18 years and have been stopped twice. Once for a random breath test when I was driving home late on Friday night. No racial motivation here, it was just a random check. One other time they checked that my bike was registered. Again, nothing racial here. I have seen police do this to Japanese people countless times. As bike theft is one of the few things that is a problem in Japan I think this a good idea. Whenever I have interacted with the police they were very friendly and professional. No complaints here.

"Just because you look a certain way, does that mean you can be stopped randomly by the police?

Yes. That's exactly what police officers are supposed to do. Now should they do it solely on your race? No. But you can look suspicious.

My guess is that it has more to do with attitude though.

In January 2021, advocacy group Japan for Black Lives posted on social media a video which showed a police officer saying "in our experience many people with dreadlocks carry drugs" when questioning a mixed-race man at a station in Tokyo. The post became viral.

smoke / fire

@Blacksamurai

'..how are the Japanese police supposed to know that Black/White/Arabic people whose ethnicity is very obvious in Japan are in fact Japanese citizens?'

Hmm...maybe we could give foreign nationals...I don't know,..a White Armband to wear?

BostonToday  07:28 am JST

Repeated stops by police can get rather annoying.

I’m white. In my first five years in Japan (early 90s), I was stopped regularly. On one occasion, they told me it was because I was riding my wife’s red bicycle. Guy’s apparently didn’t commonly ride red bikes at that time. Months later, my wife and I were approached by a cop at a station bike-parking area and then detained for several hours at the nearby koban, accused of stealing that red bike — until they ran the registration number and discovered my wife as the rightful owner.

Why didn't you/your wife register the bike and get a sticker to put on the bike?

This bicycle theft prevention registraton system (防犯登録）was made Mandatory by law under the "Basic Bicycle Law" (自転車基本法) in April 1993. It was available as an option (not mandatory by law) as early as the late 1980s. Registration can be done at most stores that sell bicycles.

@Boston

You’re absolutely correct. That’s the letter of the law.

But I’ve also now been in Japan long enough to realize that the Japanese police can use a lot of means to get whatever information they desire.

It’s best to cooperate to quickly move matters along and maintain peace of mind.

I have seen the police rummaging through people's backpacks in my local train station, the only reason this happens is because people comply out of ignorance for their rights. If you agree to a search or anything else, they will proceed based on your voluntary agreement.

Twice I have been asked myself to comply with a "body check". I simply refused and the police understood. If you want to answer a few questions beyond showing them your ID, that's your choice, but you should never have to go with them to a police box. The risk is, if a crime was committed in that area, and you unwittingly answer questions which prove you were there at the time, you could find yourself in a lot of trouble no matter how innocent or cooperative you are.

I have only been stopped once. Answered their questions and got on with life. Maybe they should stop seeing problems that don’t exist. I often see them stop Japanese citizens and search their bags, so it is not only foreigners who are stopped.

In Sydney I was walking with an aquaintance....had tats, looked a bit gnarly.....rookie cop stops us

"Have you ever been in trouble with the Police before ?" he asks.

My friend looks him straight up....."Well yeah ....I.m on parole for Armed Robbery "

Cop, out of his league and out of questions goes....."Ah....um.....OK.....carry on ... "

Amateurs

Agree, This should have been A Class Action Lawsuit.

Class actions aren't available under Japanese law. Instead they have a representative litigation system under which a single plaintiff can represent others with the same claim, but those others have to step forward to join the lawsuit. This requirement (which is different from US law for example where everyone with the same claim is automatically added) means that such actions always involve a small number of plaintiffs like this one.

I have only been stopped once. Answered their questions and got on with life. Maybe they should stop seeing problems that don’t exist. 

Guys in the article say they have been interrogated 15 and 17 times respectively without having done anything wrong.

Just because you don't have the same problem they do doesn't mean that their problem doesn't exist.

Over twenty years ago I remember when we moved to a new neighborhood. One weekend two cops knocked on our door a very friendly guy and a young lady. They introduced themselves they belonged to the nearest Koban and if ever need help we should not hesitate to reach out. In rural Japan Cops are very friendly and very much involved with the welfare of the community. So let's not paint them all as bad people.

JapantimeToday  10:41 am JST

I often see them stop Japanese citizens and search their bags, so it is not only foreigners who are stopped.

What you see is immaterial. I don't see that happening, but that's immaterial too. If it's not recorded and documented it doesn't matter.

Syed, who is self-employed and lives in the suburbs of Nagoya

Leave Nagoya! My Daughter's company and my son's company two different businesses in very different fields, will no longer send any one to that place.

Every time they sent my children there they constantly got harassed by the police.

They are mixed Japanese citizens from birth and have been told they must have their passports to "prove" they are Japanese.

I refuse to go there for over 20 years.

According to Justice Ministry statistics, out of 182,582 people in Japan investigated by the police in 2020 for suspected Penal Code offenses, 9,529 were foreigners.

> With the total population in the country, including foreigners, in that year standing at 123.35 million and non-Japanese at 6.34 million, the ratio of people subjected to criminal probes was 0.15 percent for both Japanese and foreigners in Japan, the analysis showed.

Apples and oranges!

There is a major difference between investigation/criminal probe and randomly stopping people based on ethnicity for no reason.

Give us the numbers of "pure" ethnic Japanese randomly stopped and the number of mixed ethnic Japanese, naturalised citizens and foreigners randomly stopped, because the above information does not reflect how many are just stopped for no reason and no investigation is involved!

“And so it begins for Japan.”

What is that supposed to mean, Blacklabel?

I’m sure there was an article about these same guys a few months back.

@Cephus

In rural Japan Cops are very friendly and very much involved with the welfare of the community. So let's not paint them all as bad people.

They may not "all" be "bad people", but the pretrial system (detention for up to 23 days without charge, interrogation without a lawyer present, presumption of guilt, emphasis on obtaining a confession, 99% conviction rate etc., etc.) is inherently bad, and the police are the front end of that. They do their job and I am thankful for that, but the problem is they do unsavory things as well.

@Antiquesaving

They are mixed Japanese citizens from birth and have been told they must have their passports to "prove" they are Japanese.

The fact that is not written in the law, however those officer insist that your kids need to have their passport all the time, it just another prove of racial treatment .

That just another way where they imply that Japanese citizen who look foreign need bring passport while there's no law at all for Japanese citizen to bring any ID at all time.

I genuinely wish these gentlemen the best and appreciate the thoughtful support they’ve received from some commentators.

As for the usual haters—those who lack even basic compassion and twist situations to blame the victims or push their toxic ideology—I sincerely hope our paths never cross. You know exactly who they are.

@OssanAmerica

Why didn't you/your wife register the bike and get a sticker to put on the bike?

This bicycle theft prevention registraton system (防犯登録）was made Mandatory by law under the "Basic Bicycle Law" (自転車基本法) in April 1993. It was available as an option (not mandatory by law) as early as the late 1980s. Registration can be done at most stores that sell bicycles.

Please check again @Boston comment

They were being hold not because they don't have that sticker attached in their bicycle, however that officer just try to push even more by prolong the registration confirmation. While they wait for registration confirmation, that officer just don't want to miss the opportunity.

Do you have any idea how those officers checking the registration, by walkie talkie or by phone, not by apps or qr reader, they need to dictate the registration number and dictate the name of owner, and wait for the reply, from the other side to confirm.

The police basically used this false “theft” accusation to detain and question us about far more than the bicycle and go through our belongings.

@RainyDay

Guys in the article say they have been interrogated 15 and 17 times respectively without having done anything wrong.

Just because you don't have the same problem they do doesn't mean that their problem doesn't exist.

Exactly, different appearance, looks and place can lead to different treatment by law enforcement.

Discriminatory, prejudicial reading the above. 

However racist?  

I have been let off a few speeding offensives, in my new Honda heading towards Nagoya.

A stern warning lecture, my use of miss wobbly lip, an eye to the hanky.  

Officer dibble has been more than equitable.

It is when you argue that thing can escalate.

The "why do you think I stopped you", is where you must think carefully.

I don't deny foreign people get stopped. But I've seen plenty of times suspicious Japanese get stopped. I've seen many times police approached a Japanese and question them for no apparent reason. I think it's more a a police tactic than anything racist.

I have been let off a few speeding offensives, in my new Honda heading towards Nagoya. 

A stern warning lecture, my use of miss wobbly lip, an eye to the hanky. 

Really?

A few? Don’t do it. This kind of thing helps to give law-abiding foreigners a bad reputation.

The "why do you think I stopped you", is where you must think carefully.

The people in the article were stopped for no reason.

I don't deny foreign people get stopped. But I've seen plenty of times suspicious Japanese get stopped

As far as we know, the people in the article weren’t doing anything which looked suspicious.

What does ‘suspicious Japanese’ mean? What were they doing?

OssanAmerica

Today 10:00 am JST

BostonToday 07:28 am JST

> Repeated stops by police can get rather annoying.

> I’m white. In my first five years in Japan (early 90s), I was stopped regularly. On one occasion, they told me it was because I was riding my wife’s red bicycle. Guy’s apparently didn’t commonly ride red bikes at that time. Months later, my wife and I were approached by a cop at a station bike-parking area and then detained for several hours at the nearby koban, accused of stealing that red bike — until they ran the registration number and discovered my wife as the rightful owner.

> Why didn't you/your wife register the bike and get a sticker to put on the bike?

> This bicycle theft prevention registraton system (防犯登録）was made Mandatory by law under the "Basic Bicycle Law" (自転車基本法) in April 1993. It was available as an option (not mandatory by law) as early as the late 1980s. Registration can be done at most stores that sell bicycles.

Would it actually make a difference?

Not only did I register all our bicycles, my children and I got stopped so often we carried our official copy of the regulations on us at all times.

So when stopped we not only had the sticker but presented the papers.

Do you think that made any difference? No!

But we all knew what was coming next, search of bags empty pockets, while they supposedly verified the registration despite having the official copy in their hands.

I long ago got rid of my bicycle it was just too much trouble.

My children (now late 20s early 30s) did the same and instead use share ride rentals.

They still get stopped but the excuse if " stolen bicycle registration check" fake reason is now a moot point and the police struggle to come up with a reason.

Being citizens from birth, the two of them nearly always demand why they are being stopped, demand the supervisor come to the location and call their company lawyer. Funny once they say those things, the police suddenly drop the matter and leave without explanation.

Folks, Japan has flaws like every place but is still a great place to live and raise a family, but ignoring the flaws doesn't help, despite being a great place to live some things need improvement and saying that isn't a bad thing.

Would definitely strengthen the case if more people who felt racially profiled joined the suit

But this is good wil raise awareness of the issue at least whatever the outcome

@Antiquesaving

Do you think that made any difference? No!

But we all knew what was coming next, search of bags empty pockets, while they supposedly verified the registration despite having the official copy in their hands.

This only happened because you let it happen. Next time, tell them you won't consent to a search without a warrant, confirm with them that you are not under arrest, and politely leave. Why waste your time with them?

A recent survey carried out by lawyers in the suit backs the plaintiffs' view that the stopping and questioning of those with foreign appearances often lacks the existence of "sufficient probable cause" to suspect the person has committed or is about to commit a crime -- the requirements set out under the Police Duties Execution Act.

They should also state clearly if there were or there were no sufficient probably cause when locals were stopped and questioned

Jimizo,

I have been lucky, indeed, and might have to exchange the car or sell.

The police know whether you are a foreigner from the moment you open your mouth.

The colour of skin could well have a bearing on outcomes, I suggest the police are open to discriminatory, prejudicial profiling.

My Mother agrees with you, stated my car behaviour is a red flag to stop foreign drivers on car registration recognition. I will have to probably sell the Honda.

I once suggested to a policeman, it was honda fault.

He laughed out loud,

A recent survey carried out by lawyers in the suit backs the plaintiffs' view that the stopping and questioning of those with foreign appearances often lacks the existence of "sufficient probable cause" to suspect the person has committed or is about to commit a crime -- the requirements set out under the Police Duties Execution Act.

Maybe there will be a new clause added to said act, where 外人である事 will be permitted as "probable cause".

I genuinely wish these gentlemen the best and appreciate the thoughtful support they’ve received from some commentators.

As for the usual haters—those who lack even basic compassion and twist situations to blame the victims or push their toxic ideology—I sincerely hope our paths never cross. You know exactly who they are.

Hear! Hear!

Garlic eater

Today 01:34 pm JST

@Antiquesaving

> Do you think that made any difference? No!

> But we all knew what was coming next, search of bags empty pockets, while they supposedly verified the registration despite having the official copy in their hands.

> This only happened because you let it happen. Next time, tell them you won't consent to a search without a warrant, confirm with them that you are not under arrest, and politely leave. Why waste your time with them?

Great advice to end up "detained" for 23 days.

Obviously you are not familiar with Japanese law.

Look up what I am talking about.

"They may not "all" be "bad people", but the pretrial system (detention for up to 23 days without charge, interrogation without a lawyer present, presumption of guilt, emphasis on obtaining a confession, 99% conviction rate etc., etc.) is inherently bad, and the police are the front end of that. They do their job and I am thankful for that, but the problem is they do unsavory things as well."

Pls, don't get me wrong when I say even those bad cops are not as bad as those trying to change cultures by all means necessary which don't reflect their mindset or their liking. Cops are also human beings prone to temptations, and it's not all that hard to find a rogue cop willing to get along with the cultural change enforcers. So what will the Cop so stop as many foreigners as possible because that will highlight the goal of the cultural enforcers. I'm not against cultural evolvement but evolvement should be based on truth not on manufactured problem or lies.

"They may not "all" be "bad people", but the pretrial system (detention for up to 23 days without charge, interrogation without a lawyer present, presumption of guilt, emphasis on obtaining a confession, 99% conviction rate etc., etc.) is inherently bad, and the police are the front end of that. They do their job and I am thankful for that, but the problem is they do unsavory things as well."

And mind you they are those still trying to come in between the foreign community and the current government. Take for instance the disagreement between President Trump and Elon those who sowed the seed of discord are the same people funding riots in LA. The point is we have special interests led by very very bad people. And they won't stop at nothing until they get what they want

“The point is we have special interests led by very very bad people.”

Like your idol Trump.

Japan has flaws like every place but is still a great place to live and raise a family, but ignoring the flaws doesn't help, despite being a great place to live some things need improvement

And here is the problem. Like Antiquesaving mentioned, Japan is great but apologists refuse to recognize that there are still improvements to make. They say just ignore it and be nice but refuse to acknowledge that there's people who go through this often.

Antiquesavings, you can refuse body checks. Cops know they can't pad you down unless they get consent from you. Every time I've refused and so far I've not been arrested.

Japan has flaws like every place but is still a great place to live and raise a family, but ignoring the flaws doesn't help, despite being a great place to live some things need improvement

And here is the problem. Like Antiquesaving mentioned, Japan is great but apologists refuse to recognize that there are still improvements to make. They say just ignore it and be nice but refuse to acknowledge that there's people who go through this often.

Exactly!

Great! In that case, I'd like to apply for a few million yen for the numerous times I have been unjustly stopped and interrogated by policeman in the 25 years I've lived in Japan. And I can tell you it was way more than 25 times!

Once I was stopped twice in two days - by the same two police officers patrolling the streets around my area!! Crazy.

@Antiquesaving

Great advice to end up "detained" for 23 days.

Obviously you are not familiar with Japanese law.

Look up what I am talking about.

Voluntarily speaking to Japanese police without legal counsel greatly increases your risk of being detained and indicted. Their performance is likely evaluated on how many cases they solve. Hence, they will be incentivized to get confessions. These risks begin the moment you agree to engage with police voluntarily, including visits to a koban or being questioned on the street.

Köttbullar

Today 03:59 pm JST

Are you a citizen?

If you are not then you do not have the same rights and protection.

This was confirmed by the supreme Court many years ago!

People have gone to court over this and lost.

Refusing or discrimination against a citizen for skin colour, disability, background, etc...is illegal but the courts have made it clear doing so to non citizen is not protected under the construction or laws.

Why do you think it is OK for businesses to put up signs "No foreigners"? A: because it isn't against the law.

Garlic eater

Today 04:05 pm JST

@Antiquesaving

> Great advice to end up "detained" for 23 days.

> Obviously you are not familiar with Japanese law.

> Look up what I am talking about.

> Voluntarily speaking to Japanese police without legal counsel greatly increases your risk of being detained and indicted. Their performance is likely evaluated on how many cases they solve. Hence, they will be incentivized to get confessions. These risks begin the moment you agree to engage with police voluntarily, including visits to a koban or being questioned on the street

Again look up the law! Don't give advice that will get people in more trouble.

If as a non citizen you are stopped by the police you are required by laws to present your Zairyu card or passport (if you are not a resident or haven't yet received your Zairyu card).

Refusing or refusing to cooperate is grounds for being detained.

Go to any Embassy website and read what they say and recommend and the warnings they have.

OssanAmerica

Why didn't you/your wife register the bike and get a sticker to put on the bike?

Yea, as I wrote above “the cop could have easily confirmed ownership of the red bicycle beforehand by checking the prominently displayed bicycle registration number.”

The bicycle was registered, which made the cop’s story less plausible.

It is quite terrible to be prejudged based on an immutable characteristic such as race rather than to be considered on an individual basis, isn't it? I mean, in university courses there is something called "whiteness" studies which attempt to describe all "white" people with particular group characteristics. These courses then place at the feet of all individuals of the group collective responsibility for any and all acts that someone of the group may have committed. I think it was better when "color blindness" was promoted, but then we were all told that such was actually racism since one's racial group is an inherent part of an individual's identity. If such is indeed the case, then why is racial profiling wrong?

And if police stops you on the street, what is the problem?.... as long as you have nothing to hide...you have nothing to worry about.

This is a terrible argument. Everybody, in democratic states including Japan, has a right to privacy and dignity. Questioning and searching people with no good reason is a breach of those rights and an invasion.

I think we should remember that, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), the idea of individualism is one of the "aspects & assumptions of whiteness & white culture in the United States" (https://ia903202.us.archive.org/32/items/whiteness-chart-smithsonian-nmaahc-washington-d.-c./Whiteness%20chart%20Smithsonian%20NMAAHC%20Washington%20D.C..png). Therefore, the argument against racial profiling in Japan is actually promoting "white" culture of a foreign country. Now I am perfectly okay with this, but perhaps that may just be my inclination to cultural imperialism due to being "white." But it becomes "problematic" to those who, seeking to fight against such influence, resort to the very notions they so hate. Might it not be better to say that good ideas are good based on their own merit regardless of who originates them? Perhaps like people, ideas should not be racially profiled. So what shall it be? Do we consider individuals apart from the immutable characteristic of race or do we make race an inextricable factor in determining who individuals are?

Is there a non black majority country where blacks have lower crime rates than whites? Not in Europe that is for sure. Maybe the Japanese police are aware of this and raise there suspicions accordingly.

With an increase in millions of tourists the cops need to think about the repercussions of stopping them and asking for IDs.

Profiling, way of life across the world to varying degrees

For example, when driving a car, normal to assess risk based on type of car driven, how well its maintained, color, if car's been modified and if so how, etc.

But in reality 'risk' being assessed by everyone in every context to some degree, just the way the world works.

If people assess high or elevated risk, they often discriminate, rightly or wrongly, often subconsciously.

SwissToni Today 05:30 pm JST

Everybody, in democratic states including Japan, has a right to privacy and dignity.

While I agree with this in theory, in practice it is evident that such is not the case. At least since the Snowden leaks people should realize that even democratic states do not respect the right to privacy. But I see this from another angle. Here we are talking about racial profiling, assuming that someone may be a potential criminal based on their race. Yet it is a point of law that those accused of a crime are innocent until proved guilty in a court of law. Now if so for those who are accused, how much more so for those who are not accused? And yet indiscriminate mass surveillance of the population, such as was revealed in the Snowden leaks showed, assumes the guilt of the entire population. This is not only against the right to privacy, but also conflicts with the legal presumption of innocence. It is not for the people to continually prove they are not guilty to authorities, it is for authorities to prove some wrong doing by some criminal among the people. Yes, this puts a burden on the authorities, rightfully so, since it is intended to prevent them from overstepping. "It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer." Thus the words of Sir William Blackstone. But that is just more "white" culture for you.

I hate these kinds of stops

But on the other hand, it's not uncommon for my fellow "gaijins" to behave badly when they get drunk and do crazy things so please don't blame me if I also practice racial profiling lol

With an increase in millions of tourists the cops need to think about the repercussions of stopping them and asking for IDs.

Nah, tourists look different. They have money too. Think about what that means.

To reduce profiling of immigrants, countries, like Japan, must conduct careful vetting of those who are residents, thankfully Japan does so and has secure borders etc.

As for tourists, some vetting appropriate, but entry requirements like travel insurance likely more effective.

masugomi

With an increase in millions of tourists the cops need to think about the repercussions of stopping them and asking for IDs.

Nah, tourists look different. They have money too. Think about what that means.

How so?

Fair bet that most Japanese police, like all police, can profile effectively and thus are fairly skilled at determining who's a resident vs. tourist, the exact same way they profile Japanese citizens. That's their job!!

HopeSpringsEternal

Fair bet that most Japanese police, like all police, can profile effectively and thus are fairly skilled at determining who's a resident vs. tourist, the exact same way they profile Japanese citizens. That's their job!!

How can they tell the difference between a non-Japanese resident and a non-Japanese tourist? They are not that clever. Two-thirds of tourists are other Asians.

Unlike in the US, you won't end up being shot when stopped to pulled over.

If you don't want to be racially profiled, why not transfer your citizenship to America, a country of immigrants?

This is the classic “if you don’t like it, leave” argument—the intellectual equivalent of flipping the board when losing at chess. The majority of Japanese are of higher intelligence in my opinion.

HopeSpringsEternal

Today 08:13 pm JST

Fair bet that most Japanese police, like all police, can profile effectively and thus are fairly skilled at determining who's a resident vs. tourist, the exact same way they profile Japanese citizens. That's their job!

Don't become an odds maker.

My daughter is a mixed Japanese citizen from birth her husband is 100% ethnic Japanese both have high level security clearance, she does government contracts he is a government employee high high level security far beyond any beat cop.

She has been stopped on multiple occasions including while with her husband and the cops ask for "proof" of citizenship.

Her husband pulls out his papers and tells the cops to pound sand and my daughter doesn't have to prove anything.

Once the police see his papers they hightail it away from them as fast as they can.

So NO the police are not very good at profiling.

I have actually been stopped in my car with a member of the National Diet and the cops asked him if he was Japanese. Real geniuses!

Me and Antique agree on something

Japanese citizens do not have to show proof of citizenship to the police. Even if asked, Japanese citizens are not legally obligated to provide proof of citizenship.

Life is too short to make officer dibble huff and puff.

I have always have all my documents ready when stopped.

I still possess a gold licence, my father says its “water in wine” receptiveness to suggestion.

Look at the photo, scowls

Never believe for a moment you win friends and influence officialdom by aggression

Mr Kipling,I guess you like living as second class citizen,in a third rate country.

Sorry but that sounds more like your situation. I live in Japan by choice, but I do spend several months a year in the UK which is fast becoming a third rate country if that is what you mean.

How so?

Wallace, how do tourists look different? No glazed over look.

Japanese citizens do not have to show proof of citizenship to the police. Even if asked, Japanese citizens are not legally obligated to provide proof of citizenship.

Yes, yes, we know. And one reason I wouldn't want citizenship. What exactly am I gaining - the right to be abused by the police because I don't want to comply with an illegal request, but it cannot be resolved until they VERIFY that I am indeed a Japanese citizen. It wouldn't surprise me that some stubborn foreigners get citizenship just so they can get into that situation, play victim, claim abuse and then try to sue. What we're seeing here in this article is only the beginning. Or, hopefully, it will get squashed before becoming an issue.

Using the race card to get rich. If Japan wants to learn look at the US burning you have all the people who are not loyal to the country flashing their own country flag and robbing and looting it blindly all in the name of a peaceful protest. Japan should know who is in their country and people should get upset if they are stopped especially if you have nothing to hide. If Syed was stopped in his native country 15 times would he sue or complain I doubt it.

If Syed was stopped in his native country 15 times would he sue or complain I doubt it.

He's been here since he was 8. He's a Japanese citizen. It is his native country.

Japan should know who is in their country

They do. He is a Japanese citizen.

and people should get upset if they are stopped especially if you have nothing to hide.

Nonsensical, illogical, and now just plain ridiculous.

Japan policing is world best practice. They respect human right when humans rights comes with Human obligations. Also respecting the role of the Police officer goes a long way when in a foreign country. Most comments wine about asking of your ID and when you refuse to show your ID you are disrespect the roll of the police office in Japan. I see this in the USA the refusal to show ID something about 4th amendment. Well this is not the USA it is Asia and Asian believes with human right come with Human obligation. When you deny a Japanese police your ID you are being disrespectful to their roll to protect their country citizens. Just build a bridge and get over your own self important. I had a altercation with a Israeli who accused me of assulting him when the Police ask for my ID I gave it to him straight away with no fuse and the Israeli person refused and he was the person who called the police. The assault could not be proven and with his refusal to show his ID he was take to the Koban and spent all night arguing with the local police where I spend my night free to continue on. The Israel just not end up have a bad night but he accompany this with a gash in. his skull and along with a real bad head ache. LOL.

JohnSan

This is not about respect. Japanese citizens are not required by law to carry any sort of ID. And if by the Japanese law they're not to carry an ID, how are they supposed to present an ID they don't have?

Jeffy: While I agree with this in theory, in practice it is evident that such is not the case.

In practice peoples rights are ignored, however it is a fact that the Japanese constitution provides for privacy and individual dignity. I didn’t read all of your article, but it was clear that you’d missed my point. I was opposing the “You’ll be fine if you’ve nothing to hide” argument.

I'm not ethnically Japan, I've been stopped for ID and to prove my bicycle is mine multiple times, occasionally by the SAME officer that has stopped me prior for the SAME reason multiple times to the point I learnt his name and refer to him by it when he stops me. You know what I do? Deal with the uncomfortable situation for all of maybe 5 minutes and move on with my day.

@BakaFugu

I'm not ethnically Japan, I've been stopped for ID and to prove my bicycle is mine multiple times, occasionally by the SAME officer that has stopped me prior for the SAME reason multiple times to the point I learnt his name and refer to him by it when he stops me. You know what I do? Deal with the uncomfortable situation for all of maybe 5 minutes and move on with my day.

Because you have more lenient and you let them go to do it to you it doesn't is legal. Especially officer in Japan doesn't have body cam so is less uncountable.

https://web-pages-japaneseenglish-and-englishjapanese.fandom.com/wiki/Meet_the_man_who_gets_frisked_by_the_Tokyo_police_five_times_a_year

I'm not ethnically Japan, I've been stopped for ID and to prove my bicycle is mine multiple times, occasionally by the SAME officer that has stopped me prior for the SAME reason multiple times to the point I learnt his name and refer to him by it when he stops me. You know what I do? Deal with the uncomfortable situation for all of maybe 5 minutes and move on with my day.

We get your message but since you put yourself in this situation publicly and try to imply as if there is something wrong about these gentlemen, you should not complain about a few harsh truths coming from us. Just because you are desperate and can't do much about that abusive situation, does not normalize it. People with options and/or dignity, do not put up with that.

On Dec. 6 2021, the U.S. Embassy in Japan tweeted a warning to U.S. citizens about foreigners being stopped and searched by Japanese police in suspected racial profiling incidents.

Oh the irony.....

USA currently in the middle of the greatest, racist round up based on "racial profiling " since the enforced internment of Japanese during WW2.

When the US Embassy issued that warning in 2021, IIRC, the GOJ raised the warning and asked that it be rescinded, much like the current USG tariffs. It is ironical, indeed, that what goes around comes around. The USG is scrutinizing foreign arrivals now as they try to enter the US in the worst way in the 70 years since I have been alive. This scrutiny even goes to US citizens, especially those making land border crossings. And on more than one occassion, when my family and I were returning to the US from Japan, my adopted Japanese children were pulled into secondary questioning even with their US passports until I learned that I should stand behind them in line as we went through immigration so that if they were being pulled over into secondary just followed them and when I was challenged and told to keep going through immigration, I said that I would stay with my children. On all occassions when I was behind my children my white face ended the extra scrutiny. It was on the occassions when I was in front of them that they were separated from me by the immigration officials. The only reason that I could find for any additional questioning was once when immigration wanted to make sure I was not trafficing minors across the Pacific. It took a few times before I had to concede to my children that there did appear to be racial profiling.

Garth: Show me any Japanese that don't carry some sort of ID. Driving a car you have ID travel on public transport you have ID. Your card to obtain cash. Their shopping discount card. My Japanese partner and all her relatives carries all of the above. Mate do you enter all countries without show respect. It is all about respect when you visit another country except the USA and Israel and no one in their right mind would visit these pseudo democracies. One had always been a Jewish Nation state the other turn fascist when JFK was murdered by their own government. So no respect bring a right to be treated civilly Disrespect will see you investigated.

John-san

Mate, do you enter all countries and disregard the laws of the land?

The law in Japan states that Japanese nationals are not required to carry any sort of ID. Your discount card at Yodobashi Camera is not a legal ID and cannot prove any identity. Driver's license are for drivers; if you're not a driver, you don't have one. Only 17% of Japanese have passports issued; they do not have a residence card (tho the government tried in the 90's) and the new mynamba cado not everyone has one yet.

It's not about respect, it's about following due procedure and the laws of the state.

The article is about discrimination that Japanese citizens face against cops due to their ethnicity. Not about foreigners refusing to show an ID, which is by the way the law in Japan. I've read trough all the comments and I couldn't find anyone refusing or complaining about showing a zairyu card when asked by police officers.

Until My Number, my Japanese spouse had no legal photo ID.

You can't bring a civil suit without damages. Money is society's way of addressing these things. Unless you want the policeman jailed for his mistakes? Yes, Japanese have always been zenophobic, live with it or get out of their country. And dirty dredlocks should not be tolerated anywhere. They are a provocation in any country outside Jamaica.

Until My Number, my Japanese spouse had no legal photo ID.

Exactly, not only that, even after My Number being introduced there's no legal requirement to bring it all the time or any need to bring any photo ID at all time. There's no such requirement for Japanese to do that.

You can't bring a civil suit without damages. Money is society's way of addressing these things. Unless you want the policeman jailed for his mistakes? Yes, Japanese have always been zenophobic, live with it or get out of their country. And dirty dredlocks should not be tolerated anywhere. They are a provocation in any country outside Jamaica.

Exactly, recently there's 166 million yen damage that being paid by Govt due to illegal arrest and indictment. The plaintiff won the case, only after that the corresponding Govt agencies make public apology. It only take 4 years, public exposure and 166 million yen damage lawsuit, for them to really acknowledge that and make public apology.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/06/c2a3ca86d937-compensation-by-tokyo-govt-state-finalized-over-illicit-probe.html

Police doing police work. Show your ID, be nice, move on. They're doing their job. Its a mild inconvenience. Cause a fuss, be difficult, make trouble, and it will make the situation worse. That kind of overly defensive behavior is suspicious. If you have nothing to hide, then be cooerative.

Just look at the body language in the photograph. They're not exactly helping themselves.