CBJ in pink salon

Like you get that for free anywhere in Tokyo....

Though probably cheaper than the 200.000 fine mentioned...

The more interesting question is when do you actually need to show the ID? The law does say you need to carry it all the time and if asked I would be happy to inform that I have it. But if asked to show I would take it case by case and depending on the level of politeness of the question. :confused:

This far the biggest penalty I have heard for not carrying the ID has been that a guy needed to spend several hours at a police box before he managed to get someone to go to his home to pick the ID up and bring it to the boys in blue. Would still suck but quite much less than a year in prison I would presume. :barefoot:
 
when do you actually need to show the ID?

When requested to do so by a police officer, immigration official, or government agent.

This far the biggest penalty I have heard for not carrying the ID has been that a guy needed to spend several hours at a police box before he managed to get someone to go to his home to pick the ID up and bring it to the boys in blue.

I personally know one guy who got hauled to jail - they didn't indict him, but they held him for the full first extension, 13 days total. Can't remember if they hit him with the fine afterwards or not. I should add the caveat that this particular person is a bit of an arrogant bastard, and it's a certainty that he gave the cops some attitude.

I know of one person that received the full fine - not firsthand, but via reliable sources, the immigration lawyers that our company employs from time to time.

I've heard of a couple of people being deported, but the deportation cases are pure hearsay tossed around at the bar.
 
When requested to do so by a police officer, immigration official, or government agent.

Hmm, it seems that the right for the police to ask for ID only when they have a valid reason was changed with the latest law change? So now you would need to present ID any time they decide to ask for it?

It will be interesting what happens when they throw the first half kid in jail for not carrying an ID and looking foreigner when he actually is Japanese citizen who doesn't need to show any ID.

I should add the caveat that this particular person is a bit of an arrogant bastard, and it's a certainty that he gave the cops some attitude.

That is always an excellent idea, regardless of the country.
 
Hmm, it seems that the right for the police to ask for ID only when they have a valid reason was changed with the latest law change? So now you would need to present ID any time they decide to ask for it?

That's a fun one - the cop doesn't have a right to ask you to produce any for of ID without a valid reason, but you don't have the right to refuse to produce it regardless.

It will be interesting what happens when they throw the first half kid in jail for not carrying an ID and looking foreigner when he actually is Japanese citizen who doesn't need to show any ID.

Actually, that's already happened, to a Japanese national who had a speech impediment that the cop mistook for a foreign accent. IIRC, they held her for a few days, after which she was able to contact a family member. (For your first three days under arrest in Japan, you're held incommunicado.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: MikeH
As far as i know, in my homecountry you have to indentify yourself if the police asks you to, also if you are a national. We were told that from age 14 we should always carry an ID card or passport. I have been asked once by the police for merely walking around alone in a bit shady part of the big city.

As for Japan, its pretty obvious that they want to catch people who overstay their visa.
I've never has a random bag search but i have had random ID checks here 3 or 4 times.
One was when i went into a love hotel with a Japanese guy, one was by a police officer who claimed there were many foreign spies now that the olympics got closer and one was by an "undercover" officer (no uniform but he showed me a badge but i dont know if it was authentic) who claimed he wanted to check if i was underaged smoking, while i was not holding a cigarette.
I showed him i was over 20 but he still wanted to search my bag for cigarettes. However, i reminded him i was over 20 and he backed off.

They sure got a lot of time on their hands here but not so different from the power trippers in my homecountry and at least both are safe countries and they are not extremely violent.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MikeH