Information You Wish the Japanese Police Would Tell Foreigners

[kitsunepixie]

I just got asked for a list of information that foreigners new to Japan should be told for their safety (and probably the safety of others) while they're in Japan. Some of the things I've listed so far:

*Bike theft is pretty rampant, so be sure to lock your bike up when you park it and register it for in case it gets stolen (even if doing so doesn't necessarily guarantee it'll be found again)

*Just because Japan is considered a safe country doesn't mean that you should let your guard down and not utilize safety precautions that you would take in your home country

More? This is for the prefectural police's segment on an radio channel aimed at the international community.

[Chinpokomon]

* Be careful of those damn foreigners.

[kitsunepixie]

* Be careful of those damn foreigners.

:D

Especially ones with a 'stache.

[PopCulturePooka]

* Don't come to us with your problems. We can't speak english and whatever happened 'shoganai'.

[erbiumfiber]

Always carry your gaijin registration card (and passport) because we will randomly stop you and ask to see one or both.

[PopCulturePooka]

* Don't even think about being accused of any crime here, whether guilty or innocent.

[erbiumfiber]

OK, I'll give a serious response since it's something that's been bothering me a little since I got here.

Find out what the hell you're supposed to do in an earthquake. I mean a major quake. All I know to do is open the door so that I have an escape route (in case the door frame gets warped during the quake).

But where am I supposed to go? I know there are certain designated shelters but I'll be damned if I know where they are or which one is for my building.

And I'm pretty sure the American Embassy will do jack for me after a quake so I'm hoping the Japanese government does a better job than it did in Niigata.

My plan (if I can't stay in my building): just keep walking north, south, or west (east is the bay) until I'm out of the area. Even if it takes a few days. Preferably head in the direction of the airport if that hasn't been demolished. Trying to dodge major fires and not die. 'Cause Tokyo for sure is gonna run out of food and water within 24 hours of a major quake.

[羽之助]

Be careful not to get abducted by North Koreans.
Beware of Eigobandits.
Do not expect drivers to obey the rules of the road that are common in your own country. Remember that no matter what happens, under Japanese law at least part of the accident is your fault, so make sure you have the correct insurance, and keep your eyes on the road.
People will send junk email to your keitai sooner or later. Ignore it.

[Chinpokomon]

Be careful not to get abducted by North Koreans.
Beware of Eigobandits.
Do not expect drivers to obey the rules of the road that are common in your own country. Remember that no matter what happens, under Japanese law at least part of the accident is your fault, so make sure you have the correct insurance, and keep your eyes on the road.
People will send junk email to your keitai sooner or later. Ignore it.
Hey, leggo my eigo!
*rimshot*

[Niff]

eigobandit = whores who go for men who speak english?

[羽之助]

Anyone who goes to a native speaker for practice without offering anything in return. In China, I believe the nomenclature is 'English rapist'.

And Chinpo, your remark truly elicited a LOL from me. As in laugh out loud and not the sound 'lol'.

[Chinpokomon]

And Chinpo, your remark truly elicited a LOL from me. As in laugh out loud and not the sound 'lol'.
I aim to please. (not really):joecool:
Good thing you explained the difference. I was like "lol?" :boggled:

[MNJetter]

nomenclature

Oooh, use of seldomly-used English words. Sexy. :joecool:

...y'know, I don't even know how to pronounce that one. I've only seen it in print. *searches dictionaries*

[Chinpokomon]

Oooh, use of seldomly-used English words. Sexy. :joecool:

...y'know, I don't even know how to pronounce that one. I've only seen it in print. *searches dictionaries*
*revokes Language Nerd status*

[MNJetter]

*revokes Language Nerd status*


Nooooooooo! Give that back! I need it!

*quits looking stuff up in the dictionary and tries to beat chinpo over the head with it*

:D

[six-eight-ten]

Check the driver's license regulations for your nationality. At one point, foreign residents could drive in Japan with an International Driver's license, but that law has changed. It may be valid for only 3 months now, after which you must have a Japanese driver's license. I could be wrong about the period of time. Also, what you have to do to get a Japanese driver's license will vary depending on where you are from.

Don't forget to update changes in the information on your Alien Registration Card. (Which reminds me, the address on my driver's license is outdated. I have to get that changed.)

Registering the bike, just in case, is a good one. I wouldn't have thought of that one myself.

[羽之助]

*revokes Language Nerd status*

Yeah, MNJetter took over the licensing bureau a while back.

[MNJetter]

Check the driver's license regulations for your nationality. At one point, foreign residents could drive in Japan with an International Driver's license, but that law has changed. It may be valid for only 3 months now, after which you must have a Japanese driver's license. I could be wrong about the period of time. Also, what you have to do to get a Japanese driver's license will vary depending on where you are from.

What? Yikes!

How would I find out about stuff like that? I've been here more than nine months, so if I'm under the three-month limit, I've been driving my car illegally for 2/3rds of the time I've been here.



Now, for a digression, a short skit.....

Cast of characters:
羽之助=:blank:
MNJetter=:gangster:

Act I
:gangster::blank:

End
:D

[japanat]

Explain what a Japanese badge looks like. The first time I saw one, I was totally clueless, thought it was a toy! It's one of those things you just don't think about - I was expecting a Wyatt Earp, not a flower...

Intl license is good for stated term (1, 2 or 3 yrs http://www.international-license.com/). Americans and Canadians used to not need it, they could just use their home license. Now they need one too. If you are living here, not travelling, you're expected to get the J license (written and driving tests?)

[羽之助]

Horrible violence
:D

This is because I didn't come up to Hirosaki, isn't it. :p

[Pierrot le Fou]

OK, I'll give a serious response since it's something that's been bothering me a little since I got here.

Find out what the hell you're supposed to do in an earthquake. I mean a major quake. All I know to do is open the door so that I have an escape route (in case the door frame gets warped during the quake).

But where am I supposed to go? I know there are certain designated shelters but I'll be damned if I know where they are or which one is for my building.

And I'm pretty sure the American Embassy will do jack for me after a quake so I'm hoping the Japanese government does a better job than it did in Niigata.

My plan (if I can't stay in my building): just keep walking north, south, or west (east is the bay) until I'm out of the area. Even if it takes a few days. Preferably head in the direction of the airport if that hasn't been demolished. Trying to dodge major fires and not die. 'Cause Tokyo for sure is gonna run out of food and water within 24 hours of a major quake.
You are supposed to have a bag with at least 2 litres of water, some sort of substenance (food that doesn't spoil and has nutritional value), a flashlight and a radio (preferrably with a hand crank in case the batteries go, they sell them everywhere), some cash (they suggest about 20,000 yen), and whatever else you may need (read: passport).

When a quake hits, you are supposed to head to the nearest earthquake/disaster relief point, or safety point, which is generally the closest open area that is publicly owned, which in most cases is the closest public school. Go to the grounds, and wait there for further instructions. That's the concept at any rate.

(I had to translate a booklet on this in English for my town)

[erbiumfiber]

You are supposed to have a bag with at least 2 litres of water, some sort of substenance (food that doesn't spoil and has nutritional value), a flashlight and a radio (preferrably with a hand crank in case the batteries go, they sell them everywhere), some cash (they suggest about 20,000 yen), and whatever else you may need (read: passport).

When a quake hits, you are supposed to head to the nearest earthquake/disaster relief point, or safety point, which is generally the closest open area that is publicly owned, which in most cases is the closest public school. Go to the grounds, and wait there for further instructions. That's the concept at any rate.

(I had to translate a booklet on this in English for my town)

Yeah, I got something like that in a ward booklet-but WHERE? Like there's ANY open space in Tokyo. Hence my plan to get away ASAP-carrying as much water as I can find if not near my home stash.

[KojiroTakenashi]

Well, obviously the proper protocol in your instance would be to stand right under those power cable vines after having just emptied a couple gallons of water over your head. Duh.

[MNJetter]

Originally Posted by MNJetter
Horrible violence

Oh for heaven's sake, it's just a pop gun. They don't even leave a bruise. ;)



This is because I didn't come up to Hirosaki, isn't it. :p

I haven't the foggiest what you're talking about. *coughliescough*

Naw, actually it's because you linked me with the evil licensing bureau. Nobody is supposed to know abou...I mean, that's absolutely not true!

[Pierrot le Fou]

Yeah, I got something like that in a ward booklet-but WHERE? Like there's ANY open space in Tokyo. Hence my plan to get away ASAP-carrying as much water as I can find if not near my home stash.
Ask any Japanese person around you where the nearest school is. In the case of 'the big one' there would technically be someone there to provide further instructions as to where to go.

[羽之助]

There are lots of signs in my city saying "避難所 Emergency Place of Refuge", stuck near schools/big public buildings etc. Next time you're out and about keep an eye out for them.

Open space in Tokyo ... hmm, Imperial Palace, I guess. Still, they just passed a law reducing minimum green space in the metro area from 20% to 10% so have fun in your search.

[ROGUE]

and when your driving... watch out for young hoones in there hotted up cars doing "touge" runs on the mountains, and the "dorifto"s on the street.

[erbiumfiber]

Ask any Japanese person around you where the nearest school is. In the case of 'the big one' there would technically be someone there to provide further instructions as to where to go.

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. Not laughing at you, but at the idea that anyone is going have a clue if the "big one" hits.

If you watched the three-ring circus that was the response to the Niigata earthquake (including people dying from bloodclots from living in their cars and old people camped out in greenhouses) then you know that Tokyo would be a complete and total disaster. For example, at any of these schools are there earthquake provisions for the people who arrive? Emergency water supplies, etc. Hell, even a port-a-john for when the water runs out. With no train service and all the highways collapsed, there is going to be no way to meet the needs of millions of residents. And if it happens during business hours, when the population of Tokyo is sky-high...well walking for a few days towards a less-affected zone (or, better yet, stealing the closest bike and bashing in a few vending machines for supplies) still sounds like the best idea.

Oh, yeah, and the schools by me are all so old (definitely built before the revised earthquake code of around 1980) that I doubt they are going to be the buildings that survive. Of course, I'm about to move from a building built in 1998 to one built in 1974 so, yeah, that's not too bright...but finding a place that will rent to a gaijin with a PET...

[MNJetter]

Yeah, but Tokyo is where the government is. Niigata just has lots of snow.

I get the distinct feeling that, if a huge earthquake were to happen in Tokyo, they would pull out all the stops, organize refuge stuff and emergency supplies, and be a lot more receptive to accepting aid from other countries. I absolutely detest the thought, but I'm enough of a realist to believe that if it hits home where the government lives, the government will make an effort to fix it. Kind of like the fact that there are a whole lot of people who don't particularly care about finding a cure for AIDs or cancer until someone they know or care about ends up catching it.

[羽之助]

The next big Kanto quake will have Tokyo be like Kobe, only much much worse. I agree with erbiumfibre. Niigata was relatively remote, but Kobe was a major city - and it took days for a response.

Oh well. Sendai will be hit sooner.