Japanese Police

J-Cast reports that the Japanese police are being called for some interesting emergency situations like...
"My girlfriend dumped me. What should I do?"
"My Ice cream melted. What should I do?"
"Gas didnt go down by 25 yen - I suspect some sort of fraud."
"That vending machine didnt return my change."
"I'm hungry so I'm going to give you 500 yen - please go get something for me to eat."
Have you ever had to call the police for something?
Photo from my Shibuya By Night article.
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Student
Sounds like some kind of stupid prank 4chan would do...
I've only called the cops once when I was much younger and much stupider, if you do prank calls, make sure it isn't the police... But I've had the urge to call Mr.Popo on people plenty of times from them either being stupid or dangerous.
Student
LOL!
Nobody takes the police serious xD
But then again, I don't take Japan's police force serious either because they're a terrible police force =p
Vampire
http://feeout.blogspot.com/
Really? how is Japan's crime rate so low then? or maybe that's why they're terrible .. coz they never get any real experience ..
hmm interesting ..
Student
Yeah, that's precisely the reason. However, they can also train themselves for hypothetical situations. Remember that crazy cult that killed masses of people in the trains because of their insane leader? They couldn't deal with it, nor did they even KNOW what to do. In the end, police forces from other nations were called in to tell them what to do, and solve their problems.
http://pantsukudasai.deviantart.com/
No, actually I don't recall. Please do tell more.
Any links to the story?
Student
I don't have a link to the original article, but I have some after articles. It happened in 1995. Maybe you guys are a bit too young to remember it =p (I was 4 when it happened though xD)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarin_gas_attack_on_the_Tokyo_subway
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/461406.stm
http://www.mayhem.net/Crime/supremetruth.html
http://www.rickross.com/reference/aum/aum278.html
http://www.cesnur.org/testi/aum_031.htm
Student
http://web.mit.edu/anime/www/index.shtml
I've called them a couple times when people vandalized my pond by putting tons of dish-washing detergent in it and all the koi died. xP
Student
So sorry ^_^, I loled at this... sorry for your fishies >_<
Student & Authorized Chicken Slapper
http://www.otakuinternational.com
Thats pretty messed up, I would get very very angry.
Student
http://web.mit.edu/anime/www/index.shtml
Nahh it's really not that bad.. i got cheap goldfish replacements!
Web Surfer, 大学生 【だいがくせい】
http://aoiichiguin.blogspot.com/
Cheap or not i dont think i'd be so level headed.... Trespassing and destroying my property , would seriouly tick me off.
Next time i'd wait for them ***with my machete**** >:)
Student
oh and dont forget bear traps ^_^
actually that would hurt
ALOT... nets work....
Web Surfer, 大学生 【だいがくせい】
http://aoiichiguin.blogspot.com/
you know ... i just noticed your avatar.... and thats well... eeeeewwwww.
and pretty funny too.
Web Surfer, 大学生 【だいがくせい】
http://aoiichiguin.blogspot.com/
I was refering to Zou's AVATAR>
organ donor
i stared at it for a full five minutes b4 flinching away >.<
Engineering Student
http://feidamu.wordpress.com/
Go EVA 01 on the offenders.
Pokemon master
http://thecococafe.wordpress.com/
Reminds me of a recent case where someone called 999 to report an unidentified floating object...which turned out to be the moon.
The Sword of Magus
http://daichouginga.blogspot.com/
I lol'ed after seeing that comment of yours. Is that also considered as a prank call?
Mechanical Engineering student
http://sabekujikaneda.multiply.com/
ROFLMAO XD
Pre-U Student
http://wakuwakusuru.zeroclipse.net
Haha..
Hikikomori in the making
http://supermariabros.deviantart.com/
LOL
Making lulz happen whenever possible
I always liked that thing on there arm
A Real RocknRolla
nope not in my country! you'd probably have to pay a fine. since every call is recorded and its traced. so no pranks on the police here.
student, vexillologist
http://twitter.com/zscout370
I personally called the cops to stop a domestic disturbance (the mother just lost her son in Iraq, so she was upset, but scared the widow and her child).
-1
http://necrophadian.blogspot.com/
called the cops to report motorcycle racing in my neighborhood, normally I'd let it slip but there are kids playing in the streets and these guys are going real fast. got a good response too. I wouldn't mess with prank calling the fuzz too, these guys are like Eagle scouts, they will hunt you down!
Spartan
http://www.ryobase.com
lol!!
I've told a police (he's actually my dad's friend) once when I was a kid that's "I ate paper by accident, Am I going to die?" >▽<
Student & Authorized Chicken Slapper
http://www.otakuinternational.com
I read about this like a week back. It seems the cops are very tolerant and actually check some of these things out. I remember reading how an old man said he was starving to death and would pay the cop to buy him lunch.
Turns out the old man was senile and was literally starving to death, if the cops didn't check up on him, he would've died. Cops here in NYC are not so nice...
software manager
http://wawawawasuremono.com
i had to call the police ... cuz i got mugged. -_- beware walking alone in berkeley...
Electrical Engineering Student
lol my freind is going there, is it that bad ?
software manager
http://wawawawasuremono.com
well...it can be... let's just say... don't take your chances...
part time illustrationist, doll clothing seamstress
http://puppy52art.com/
in my teens :P got flashed in broad day light, had to call police =_= found out that calling police using the public phone don need $? (but I suspect not all provide that service?)
university film student | ecchikid | the Archivist
http://www.vimeo.com/longhim
I think that's pretty standard, actually - I've never heard of a public phone that charges money for an emergency number. I'm not sure, but I think that at least in Canada emergency calls on your cellphone are fareless as well.
Engineering research
http://kikenshisou.wordpress.com
yep its standard, can even make sos calls on cellphones without sim card inserted. The keys '9' & '1' remains operatable even when phone is key locked =)
Admin
While studying contract law, we learnt there's an actual case where two fellow criminals made a contract to share the loot. When his partner cheated on him, the other went to the police. Both got arrested and the judge ruled that since illegal activities were involved, the contract was declared void.
It may seem trivial and silly (har har, that guy who ratted out his partner had it coming), but the ruling was important enough to be recorded for the evolution of contract law.
IT, Programmer, Otaku, ...
http://blog.jpopdb.org/
Fortunatly, I have not been in need of their services ;p
Not even to ask for the road, or maybe once, but it might have been some sort of security guard. Took the wrong road back to the train station when I left the school of Haruhi, and I looked quite puzzled ;p I usually find my way, but I lost my sense of direction and there were no directions, just a map with kanji on it... And the lines on the map didn't help... It was an older fellow (who was a few years from his pension prolly), and he obviously saw I was lost. Luckily I understood what he said ;p (asking for the road was one of the lessons I read in a japanese book ;p)
Working for the Man
http://www.myspace.com/jesusmadrid
usually im on the receiving end of a call. trauma or just drunkeness. lots of drunkeness.
Student
http://bk201.wordpress.com/
Poor Police. Never heard such thing here in Sydney
Student
I had to call the police back when my motorcycle got stolen, and it wasn't even running at the time...
Photographer/Night Auditor
http://hillbillyotaku.blogspot.com/
I've had to call the police plenty of times while working at the hotel. It's amazing the stupid things people do at hotels. As for outside of work I've called the police on drunk drivers but that's it.
Ship welder, IT Guy, Rotary Fanatic
there was a news special on this here in my city. It was about people overusing the 911 emergency calls. Funiest one I heard was this lady called 911 and was getting diareah(sp?) and she need a ride to the hospital......I mean for real now...wtf!!!!
The only time I had a 911 call was when my brother was in a car accident(which was a wtf moment) and when my brother accidenly (maybe) cut my hand with my own sword....
pretty gruesome also
http://img522.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image058ds5.jpg
http://img518.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image066py4.jpg
College Student
I had to call the cops just a month ago! My idiot neighbor started to burn his fire in a small decoration stove in his back yard, in his wooden gazebo, beside a weeping willow tree, next to a wooden fence, with no water/sand/fire extinguisher nearby! Did i mention that it was in summer with no rain for weeks and he and his friends were drinking?
Surprisingly, after calling the cops, a large firetruck was dispatched with full gear and a team of firemen, came to the backyard and told that degenerate to put the fire out and to get a permit! :)
http://www.marvinryan.com
When I was a kid, I called 911 to say Merry Christmas. thought they needed someone to greet them since they were working during the holiday. ^^
Mechanical Engineering student
http://sabekujikaneda.multiply.com/
Damn, that's so nice of you! Darn, now you made me all mushy inside XD
http://www.marvinryan.com
unfortunately I was told by the operator that I shouldn't do that, someone with an emergency might be calling in. ^^; although she did thank me as well. ^^
student
That's pretty much awesome.
JR. College Student
http://npc.talkingincircles.net/
I made a police report about my DS being stolen at school. They came to the door adn wrote down the stuff I described. Never got it back though. :(
Anyways, that's about it.
Typographer
http://www.vicfieger.com
When I was four, I called the police and told them that I was a bird and my life was in danger because I was being chased by a cat. I think the only other time was when I was working at a convenience store and my co-worker was having a diabetic episode.
Dropping computers, starting all over again at Journalism
http://xspblog.com
Never did, hope I don't have to.
I did call the police once, not on emergency lines, to report a fake kidnap call.
Happens a lot in Brazil, usually done by convicted people doing time.
You see, prisons here in Brazil are a joke. Most prisioners have access to cellphones.
About prank calls, morons doing stuff like that are keeping lines busy for real emergencies.
When there are too many prank calls, the police has 2 choices:
1- Spend more money on more lines and more people to take care of them... and the money, of course, is the state's money. So we end up paying more taxes for some jackasses to have some fun.
2- Do nothing and eventually miss real emergencies because they were answering prank calls. Which is even worse.
Also, it's a crime in Brazil.
Some weeks ago there was news of someone getting arrested because of such calls.
Limousine Driver
Had to call the police to report a traffic accident that ruptured a natural gas feed line next door to me. They promptly told me to hang up the phone and leave my house.
Half Engineer, Half Student, All Robot
http://discombobulatedyouth.blogspot.com/
Snitching isn't street. In all seriousness though, I rarely call the cops for petite crimes like graffiti, especially when I'm not the victim. I think this is in part due to diffusion of responsibility. However, people who use emergency services in the same way as your examples should be reprimanded. Maybe they should try something like this: http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/07/30/129245
University Student
http://plurk.com/Fuyumachi/invite
Nope, never called the police even once lol
Just remembered, somewhere i heard people calling 911 because Subway didn't add chili sauce to the sandwich.. lol
Dog of the Country
i called the police yesterday regarding an illegal cigarette seller that they were trying to nab 2 days back. And the reply was "Oh, for that, you have to call 1800-***-****"... WTF!!!
Student
http://anime.tedfox.com/
wow the cheek of them
hey at least it was toll free
銀河帝国五〇一軍团 TK/TD 8316 M.E.P.D. Police Sergeant
http://gordonator.com/
the least they can do is to transfer your line instead of telling u to call another number.
Polytechnic Junior, Bronze Lifesaving Trainee, Mech Designer In-training.
http://thehangerbay.wordpress.com/
And they wonder at our apathy... just not worth the trouble to be nice.
Student, Ex Forum Mod, Newbie GFXer
http://kyourankyodai.com/
You serious?
Wow, that's nuts, man. Crackdown on cigarette smuggling my butt.
Engineering research
http://kikenshisou.wordpress.com
waitaminute... there goes my cheap cigs! =(
ok... i kid =P
study
lol
Well I work.
Oh man. The cops. Two incidents in my family so far. Excluding all the speed tickets. Lol. My dad once called the cops because some crazy guy broke into our house.. and he fell asleep. Second incident involved my younger brother. He was pulling up on the driveway and before he opened the door to the house, some guy with a gun came up to him and demanded money. My brother told him he has no money. Frustrated, the armed guy left into the night.
Photography
one time i had to call the cops as there was a man parked right outside my house, just sitting there in his car. it was dark out, and his headlights were off. 10 minutes later one lone cop came out, only to find out the guys' car had died. all i know was, i was so scared, living by myself and some random guy parks his car outside my house. what's a girl to do!?!
on a side note- never date a cop, they're jerks. i did, and i will never do it again.
browsing the nets
http://otakuposts.blogspot.com/
had to call the cops when my home got burgled into. they found the guy and beat the hell out of him. never got the stolen things back though.
Close-protection officer/Martial artist
I've had five of them in my room once... =_= Don't want to talk about it. I will say that I hadn't committed any crimes though. O.o My brother also got nabbed for false accusations and discharging an airsoft pistol behind a McDonalds...at the floor... >.< There are better reasons to go to jail, people just had it out for him... He plans to go to the academy still. :P I've always wondered how that kid would ever stop goofing off long enough to be an officer of the law, but someday I figure I'll get my chance to see.
Also, you get fined if you call them for something unimportant. They do get calls from loons about aliens and tin foil hats you know... :P
Catgirl Trainer.
http://www.phenie.com
Police... heh, useless here.
We once had people jump our walls as some friends arrived, I ran to call anyone I could which was my armed response and the police... I called both. The armed response was there in 5 minutes, which was already too late, they had taken my friends car and all their stuff.
The police arrived 40 minutes later. ~_~
http://quentinlau.blogspot.com
Reminds me of a BBC news where people are literally phoning emergency services to ask for directions.
Don't like it how there's seperate lines for calling the emergency services and calling the police for non-emergency situations though like in the UK. Hong Kong doesn't seem to have this kind of thing so it's much more flexible.
Culinary student, Vampire
theyre qualified to be a personal assistant. i can't say that theyre out of experience, maybe you guys right that theyre not aware of serious problem because japan is one of the peaceful place i know... w8 i remember the stabbing incident in akihabara district
Student and full-time otaku
Thankfully not myself; but are crime levels really that low that people consider calling the cops for lame reasons like that?
working to pay for figures etc.
http://spacejunq.deviantart.com/
Well, the Akihabara stabbing incident was dealt with as quickly as any cop could, so I'll give them that. I think the reason why there's relativey little street crime in Japan is that the police have a conspicuous presence - not like the UK where they are just a sort of anti-crime fire brigade and rely on part-time police officers and security cameras to actually mind the streets.
Student
http://anime.tedfox.com/
over here, they nab prank callers.
i don't know what constitutes a prank call, but i am pretty sure the ones mentioned are definitely testing the waters.
the problem is, the police cannot discount any calls, especially with the remote possibility that some of those calls might be genuine. i read a similar article where an old man was really starving to death and would have died if left on his own had he not made that call to the police.
Lazy College Student
1. Creepy guy flashed me and my friends playing outside when we were little...
2. Car Wreck Outside Our House... Twice... They always hit the cement siding on the bridge.
3. Murderer had Escaped from Jail was in Our Area and Was Hiding right below our house... Luckily we had been watching the news and heard their description.
4. Car Wreck I was in with my Grand mother... stupid guy hit us at full speed and totaled the car...
5. Crazy guy next door was drunk with a shot gun and yelling obscenities @___@
6. Domestic Violence (Not involving me).
Uni student
http://twitter.com/leesinyung
How ironic... Today on the front page of my newspaper, there was an article about a girl ringing up the police wanting them to help her retrieve her drugs that her auntie 'stole' off her. =p
Perv
lolz, now this is helpfull police service XD At least people belive in the police, to solve all of their problems ;)
The only time I had cops over, was when we've been burgled. I almost had to call the police cause a tramp was persistantly coming, knocking on my door. It's not like I don't like helping people but after I helped him 3 times he kept coming ONLY to me, so I told him to get lost, but he kept coming. So I told him that either he'll stop or I'll call the cops and he stoped ^^
Mechanical Engineering student
http://sabekujikaneda.multiply.com/
I loled at some of the comments here!
I never called the police before. Basically, there hasn't been anything in my life that required me or any one of my family members to call the police. Well, at least not yet.
IMO the Japanese police force is one of the most inexperienced police force in the world. It's almost peaceful in Japan (with the exception of those stabbings that's been happening lately, accidents and suicides). I mean, I have never heard of a bank robbery or a hold-up gone wrong happening in Japan.
It's the complete opposite here in my country though. Here, almost all police officers have shot someone. Often, they'll engage in shoot outs with criminals. I think the most shoot-outs that has happened was within a week where at least three were reported. Although the police here can be scary. From what I hear, some are criminals themselves. Working as part-time assassins. Some police officers also take money from truck drivers and drivers of public vehicles.
Polytechnic Junior, Bronze Lifesaving Trainee, Mech Designer In-training.
http://thehangerbay.wordpress.com/
Call the police here for something less than a bomb blast at the Parliament House and you can expect immediate inaction. Then again, can't exactly hold 'em to it. I guess they've better things to do than keep a mentally unstable person in check... even if said person has a record (living above my parents' housing unit, no less).
full time student, 60% of the time.
http://www.games.dcu.ie
Had to call the police and fire brigade today!
A lot of the north of Dublin, where I live, is flooded sporadically... my whole road is knee deep underwater, luckily my house is fine, but the power keeps going :(
Fire brigade are out on the road right now pumping water! Yay for emergency services!
Compounder
Never called the police for an emergency.
I did have to call 911 for a co-worker who collapsed. That was kind of nerve-wracking, but I handled it well.
E^d
Hotel - Night Audit
Every time I deal with the police they are insufferably rude and hostile.
I work at a hotel and have needed the police several times (people doing drugs, woman accusing man of rape, woman accusing man of abuse, fights, drunkeness, people having intercourse on the balcony over looking the sidewalk in full view of the public during broad daylight, suspicious loitering during the middle of the night, theft, etc).
And every time I call the police they give me a huge attitude like my calling them is ridiculous, my reasons for calling them are lame and not needing to police, etc.
student- university servant
i just love it when you see a police car and people suddenly drive 35 mph and follow the most linear path. driving in ca is horrible since people think that they are good drivers while in reality they suck! at least in some foreign countries, driving like a douche is expected so everything works out lol
Student/Part-time Philosopher/Building a blog
http://otakucy.wordpress.com
Mmmm called em recently when 20 people or so beat the crap out of my mate and left him bleeding over a keybord at a net cafe.
All the other times it was usually people calling the police to catch me bcos i was trespassing ;p But hey i was young and foolish
Mad scientist
http://yazor-san.daportfolio.com/
I've never called the police myself, but do know someone who has, because of some guy shooting at them from his window with an air rifle, simply because he was annoyed... -.-' The police arrived about 4 hour's late and didn't do anything... They just knocked on the door and when no one answered they left again... ^^;
Among the evergrowing ranks of unemployed
If I called the police where I'm at for any of those reasons. I would probably be tased.....then beaten.
Otaku Programmer/Gamer/Artist/Photographer
http://argylebolivar.wordpress.com
The police here would kill anyone who did that XD MUAHAHA