Talking to the Police in Japan: What to Say

The koban, and what it is actually for

A kōban is a small police post staffed around the clock, usually near a station or a major junction, and most of its work is not crime. Officers give directions, take lost property, help people who have missed the last train, and deal with bicycles. Approaching one for help is entirely ordinary.

For a foreign resident this makes the kōban a useful resource rather than something to avoid. If you are lost with an address, if you have found a wallet, or if you have lost one, the kōban is the correct first stop and the exchange is short.

Reporting something lost or stolen

Japan's lost property system works unusually well, and reporting a lost item is worth the fifteen minutes it takes. The officer will write a report, take a description, and give you a reference. Items handed in are logged centrally, so a wallet found in another ward can still reach you.

The description is the part to prepare. Colour, material, size, brand, and what was inside are the questions. For a theft rather than a loss, say so explicitly with nusumaremashita, since a theft report is a different document.

Ishitsu todoke is the lost property report and higai todoke is the report of a crime against you. Naming the right one gets you to the right form quickly.

Bicycle checks

A police officer stopping a cyclist is routine and is usually about the registration rather than about you. The officer reads the bōhan tōroku number on the frame and checks it against the registered owner. If the bicycle is yours and registered in your name, it takes two minutes.

The common problem is a second-hand bicycle whose registration was never transferred. If you buy used, transfer the registration at a bicycle shop; it is inexpensive and it turns a long roadside conversation into a short one.

Being stopped and questioned

Shokumu shitsumon is a voluntary street questioning, and it is more common at night, near stations, and for cyclists. The questions are formulaic: where you are going, where you live, what you do, and sometimes a request to see identification or the contents of a bag.

Cooperation is voluntary in principle, and in practice a calm, brief exchange with your residence card produced immediately is the fastest way through. Ask what the reason is if you wish; asking is normal and does not make things worse.

Accidents and incidents

For a traffic accident, however minor, calling the police is standard and is normally required for any insurance claim. The number is 110 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance, and both connect to an operator who will ask for your location first.

Location is the critical piece and it is the hardest to give under stress. Look for a nearby landmark, an intersection name, a utility pole plate, or a vending machine, all of which carry identifying information.

Never agree to settle a traffic incident privately without a police report. The report is what an insurer will require, and its absence causes problems later.

When you do not understand

This matters more here than in any other situation covered in this blog. If a conversation moves beyond routine, if you are asked to sign something, or if you do not fully follow what is being said, stop and say so. Nodding through a police conversation is the wrong instinct.

Asking for an interpreter is a normal request and there is a standard phrase for it. For anything serious, do not sign a document you have not understood, and ask for your embassy to be contacted if you are being detained.

What to carry, and useful vocabulary

Two documents solve most encounters: your residence card, which you are required to carry, and evidence of ownership for a bicycle if you ride one. Photos on your phone of both are a useful backup but do not replace the card itself.

The vocabulary below is small and worth knowing in advance rather than looking up under pressure.

Hyaku-tōban is both the number 110 and a verb-like noun: hyaku-tōban suru means to call the police.