Stopped by police patrol around love hotels

[freelonka]

I was on my way to book a room for an appoitment at JMEX and was stopped by 2 patrol police asking for my identification and to look inside my bag.This made me super paranoid and I cancelled the appointment altogether.

Has anyone experienced this around the Love Hotel areas in Shinjuku? This whole thing really put me on edge and I'm not sure if I want to book anything while I'm here.

 

[TAG Manager]

It’s random. It’s nothng to worry about unless you’re carrying something illegal.

Don’t carry anything illegal (drugs, etc) - going to a hotel is not a crime.

 

[jhingy567]

what do you look like?

I've passed kabukicho patrol cops many times without being hassled...

 

[freelonka]

It’s random. It’s nothng to worry about unless you’re carrying something illegal.

Don’t carry anything illegal (drugs, etc) - going to a hotel is not a crime.

I just had a box of condoms and some money. I got worried since I didn't have my passport and had an unopened box of condoms in a love hotel area.

 

[TAG Manager]

I just had a box of condoms and some money. I got worried since I didn't have my passport and had an unopened box of condoms in a love hotel area.

Means nothing. If they really wanted to bother you, they could have annoyed you with the no passport thing...

 

[TAG Manager]

Btw, having a box of condoms in a love hotel area is like chocolate chip cookies... they can’t be chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips...

 

[freelonka]

what do you look like?

I've passed kabukicho patrol cops many times without being hassled...

I'm Viet, so I have somewhat of a darker complexion? Was wearing a jacket and jeans, nothing shady, but I obviously looked like a tourist.

 

[freelonka]

Btw, having a box of condoms in a love hotel area is like chocolate chip cookies... they can’t be chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips...

That makes perfect sense, I was just totally freaked out since this is my first experience doing this in a country and language I'm not familiar with.

I might rebook again later tonight.

 

[just4fun]

I'm Viet, so I have somewhat of a darker complexion? Was wearing a jacket and jeans, nothing shady, but I obviously looked like a tourist.

Hope your names not Thong

 

[Durg50]

meeting an escort in a love hotel isn't illegal, the police just randomly stopped you I guess.

 

[Sudsy]

Random stop, they do them all the time, and especially in April when they're training the fresh batch of rookies.

 

[freelonka]

Hope your names not Thong

No it's not.

meeting an escort in a love hotel isn't illegal, the police just randomly stopped you I guess.

Okay that's good to know, thanks for letting me know.

 

[freelonka]

Random stop, they do them all the time, and especially in April when they're training the fresh batch of rookies.

Oh I see, that makes sense since he was teaching a younger looking cop.

 

[TAG Manager]

Random stop, they do them all the time, and especially in April when they're training the fresh batch of rookies.

And the traffic guys... they have been EVERYWHERE over the past week. Ran through a checkpoint, but looks like they were targeting smaller scooters. (which I fully support since they drive like maniacs...)

 

[impish]

And the traffic guys... they have been EVERYWHERE over the past week.

Driving down 318W through Naka-itabashi there is this divit just before getting to the 254 intersection. They LOVE to hang out there on weekends looking for seatbelt offenders.

 

[TAG Manager]

Driving down 318W through Naka-itabashi there is this divit just before getting to the 254 intersection. They LOVE to hang out there on weekends looking for seatbelt offenders.

I go through intersection all the time, they are also looking for yellow-line busters.

 

[MikeH]

I go through intersection all the time, they are also looking for yellow-line busters.

Every freaking bigger intersection too. Next time I am going to tell them it's just paint, nobody got hurt if you don't count the cop's feelings.

They should actually go after guys who have unopened boxes of condoms in love hotel area. Like hope you are not doing it bareback my young friend, better put the cap on.

 

[Sudsy]

Last week was the tail of the spring traffic safety campaign, as well.

 

[Tabanico]

Pretty sure it's illegal to wander around without your passport or ID isn't it?

 

[TAG Manager]

Pretty sure it's illegal to wander around without your passport or ID isn't it?

That's why I alluded to them being picky about the no passport thing. You're technically supposed to have it with you....

 

[VillagerB]

I got stopped once with my friend around the same area at night. I think it's more like they stop random ppl looking to see if they got drugs. I guess i kind of painted a bad picture since i did a quick jog as i was crossing the street to move faster for the oncoming car. But, i guess the cops took that as looking suspicious and searched all the pockets of my back pack. -_- there was like 20 pockets. So i would say its kind of random.

 

[Ken1988]

I was on my way to book a room for an appoitment at JMEX and was stopped by 2 patrol police asking for my identification and to look inside my bag.This made me super paranoid and I cancelled the appointment altogether.

Has anyone experienced this around the Love Hotel areas in Shinjuku? This whole thing really put me on edge and I'm not sure if I want to book anything while I'm here.

That's known as "shokushitsu". It's frustrating and annoying particularly when you are in a hurry. The best way to deal with it is to do what they tell you to do. Show your ID (if you are a tourist, photocopy of your passport and anything about your hotel address will do) and let them search. It's not wise to resist them, which could give them a reason to arrest you (the obstruction of public duties).

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/05/12/reference/know-rights-faced-stop-frisk-situation/

You may have felt humiliated, but no worries. It's random, nothing of your fault, and people know it. I think you got over it very well. You've used up your bad luck with it. I wish you enjoy the rest of your stay in Japan.

 

[User#8628]

This happened to me once when i went into a hotel with a J customer as a complete rookie. I was freaking out because i thought i could get in trouble. But they checked my ID, then left. Most likely assuming i could probably be overstaying my visa. No bag search.
There is basically nothing they can arrest us for so don’t worry.

 

[freelonka]

I got stopped once with my friend around the same area at night. I think it's more like they stop random ppl looking to see if they got drugs. I guess i kind of painted a bad picture since i did a quick jog as i was crossing the street to move faster for the oncoming car. But, i guess the cops took that as looking suspicious and searched all the pockets of my back pack. -_- there was like 20 pockets. So i would say its kind of random.

That must of been annoying to have to go through

 

[freelonka]

That's known as "shokushitsu". It's frustrating and annoying particularly when you are in a hurry. The best way to deal with it is to do what they tell you to do. Show your ID (if you are a tourist, photocopy of your passport and anything about your hotel address will do) and let them search. It's not wise to resist them, which could give them a reason to arrest you (the obstruction of public duties).

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/05/12/reference/know-rights-faced-stop-frisk-situation/

You may have felt humiliated, but no worries. It's random, nothing of your fault, and people know it. I think you got over it very well. You've used up your bad luck with it. I wish you enjoy the rest of your stay in Japan.

Hey thanks for this answer, your right I just did what they asked and they was let go in about 5min or so. I had my driver's license on me at the time and they were okay with that. But I'll just carry my passport with me from now on.