Foreign security patrols in Kabukicho

fireman

fireman

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Went to Kabukicho last night around 7 pm and noticed a bunch of guys out on patrol in private security uniforms with badges and reflective vests. After a closer look (as they were all wearing masks) I realized that many if not all of them were white/brown, and pretty tall and stacked. No idea exactly where they were from.

Is this some new initiative by the local business community? Do these guys come out and go away at certain hours?
 
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hamsap said:
http://www.guardianangels.or.jp/eng/

Probably something like this.
Just a group of well meaning people trying to 'patrol' the area and 'keep it safe'.

Its usually a mix between well meaning people and people on a power trip.
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No, it's not this.

It's a private security company that's contracted to provide patrols in certain areas of Tokyo.
I can't recall which company it is, but they aren't volunteers. I believe one of the firms is https://ex-pr.com/
 
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TAG Manager said:
No, it's not this.

It's a private security company that's contracted to provide patrols in certain areas of Tokyo.
I can't recall which company it is, but they aren't volunteers. I believe one of the firms is https://ex-pr.com/
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Interesting...makes you wonder why.

I mean Kabukicho has no problems of pickpocketing or violence on the streets, everything criminal is happening out of sight after people got lured into some shitty establishments, right?
 
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Danbo said:
Interesting...makes you wonder why.

I mean Kabukicho has no problems of pickpocketing or violence on the streets, everything criminal is happening out of sight after people got lured into some shitty establishments, right?
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They first appeared in Roppongi at the end-stage of its relevance. They've been spotted in Akasaka, Shibuya, Shinjuku -- I think it's more about intimidation for obvious signs of trouble. I've never seen one of them engage anyone, they are always standing around or just walking to and from various places. There were always two or three of these guys at Roppongi crossing in the past 5-6 years... just high visibility and they were foreigners with a bit of bulk on them. The uniforms have the company name on them, I just can't remember what it was.

The police themselves have been more active in squelching some of the street guys trying to get people into shady bars & restaurants. IMHO, that's probably the biggest risk aside from the well-known tactics of the non-Japanese touts who target foreigners walking through the area.
 
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I've walked around Kabukicho people-watching and bar-hopping the last few nights. The touts would call out less to me when the private security are nearby, just stare at me greedily as I walked by instead.
 
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fireman said:
Went to Kabukicho last night around 7 pm and noticed a bunch of guys out on patrol in private security uniforms with badges and reflective vests. After a closer look (as they were all wearing masks) I realized that many if not all of them were white/brown, and pretty tall and stacked. No idea exactly where they were from.

Is this some new initiative by the local business community? Do these guys come out and go away at certain hours?
Click to expand...
They're contracted by the city (in this case Shinjuku) to keep an eye on the touts and call in the cops if they spot any of them engaging passersby.

None of this would be necessary if the cops actually did their jobs... but of course they're taking kickbacks to ignore the touting and will only show up if there's an actual complaint.
 
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Sudsy said:
They're contracted by the city (in this case Shinjuku) to keep an eye on the touts and call in the cops if they spot any of them engaging passersby.

None of this would be necessary if the cops actually did their jobs... but of course they're taking kickbacks to ignore the touting and will only show up if there's an actual complaint.
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Is touting illegal now or how does it work? I strolled around Akasaka-Mitsuke a few nights ago and saw the security patrol as well (just standing around looking intimidating I guess) but there were also plenty of Girls Bar touts all over the area 😅
 
Touting is illegal in most of the places where it's done, but it's regulated by prefectural and municipal ordinances so the details of the rules vary somewhat from place to place. Shinjuku has its own ordinance, and Tokyo has an ordinance that applies to the specific areas of town where fuuzoku places are concentrated.
 
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Fumisancho79 said:
Is touting illegal now or how does it work? I strolled around Akasaka-Mitsuke a few nights ago and saw the security patrol as well (just standing around looking intimidating I guess) but there were also plenty of Girls Bar touts all over the area 😅
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The girl’s bar touts just stand there and passively try to attract.
The nuisance touts are the guys in cheap suits or the foreign guys in roppongi that follow you around and wont take no for an answer.
 
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Durg50 said:
The girl’s bar touts just stand there and passively try to attract.
The nuisance touts are the guys in cheap suits or the foreign guys in roppongi that follow you around and wont take no for an answer.
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“Titties, titties, you want to see some titties tonight?” :ROFLMAO:
I hated those touts in Roppongi, luckily they seem to have disappeared with the pandemic
 
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Here's two Yellow Vested 'patrol' guys in action:

 
I saw them around Okubo Park and the surrounding area, but they didn't do much other than stroll around in pairs. There's also a police station right on the other side of where most of the action takes place, and you'd sometimes see a car patrol through the streets, but they weren't doing much either. Mostly just looked like security theater to me.
 
I like the Kamata version of this: A bunch of older guys in high-vis attire who usually would be employed to guard the tiniest of construction sites. They hang out here , a location preferred by Kamata-grade touts. Out of respect for the elderly, the touts go elsewhere.
 
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Btw....I was drinking in Kabukicho this week on Wednesday and saw nobody in wests patrolling around. Are they only there on weekends or was this just a temporary thing?
 
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