Non East Asian looking Japanese citizens, have you ever been stopped to show ID?

47 comments

1. Not me, but my (former) same country schoolmate has. Something about her bicycle’s broken light, can’t remember. Me, I don’t smoke outside I don’t drink alcohol outside, I don’t even remember the last time I took the last train home, I look at my phone whenever i’m on my own even when walking, and I have this “do not talk to me” resting face so maybe that’s why.

2. Tell them youre Japanese. Thats it. There’s been lawsuits in the past supposedly

3. I am Indian with dark brown skin and not a citizen and I’ve never been stopped to show ID in my many years here. The closest has been the bicycle stuff when they stop you for not following rules. It’s unlikely that the police ever ask you for ID IMO.

4. I’ve heard it happen to people who didn’t have a problem being asked and just flashed a license to the cop. I’ve also heard people (mates son) say they just told the cop they were citizens and didn’t need to, although cops can pretty much call anything suspicious and insist.

   If you look different cops notice and may ask,but they also ask for no particular reason.

   more info [here](https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/getting-stopped-by-police-in-japan-how-often-does-it-happen-and-why)

5. I’ve never been asked by police to show ID, and I’m a white skinned geijin. Is this a common thing?

6. I’ve been stopped several times whole riding my bike around 大井ふ頭 at night. Somewhere around a dozen times. I think it may have had more to do with the location and time but each time I was stopped I was asked for my 外国人登録。 upon me presenting it I was told no problem and I went on my way.

7. Lived in Japan for nearly a decade. Not white but could be mistaken for white. Never been stopped by the police even once.

8. Only when I was riding my bicycle at like 2 am. Once they verified my identity they let me go without issue

9. My friend carries his (Japanese) passport with him at all times since he was a kid exactly because of that issue.

10. [deleted]

11. I think a lot of people are not reading what OP is asking for.

    He’s not asking about foreigners getting
    or not getting stopped.

    He’s asking about Japanese citizens WHO DO NOT LOOK Japanese/East Asian.

12. There was a case a while back, where a naturalized Japanese citizen’s child (looking exactly the opposite of Japanese) was stopped by Police, but since they don’t have their zairyu card, was detained by the Police. Of course after the parents found out, all hell broke loose.

    Now the Standard operating procedure by the Police is if you declare you’re a Japanese citizen, then they will stop there and won’t ask for your zairyu card, that’s it, they won’t even do any confirmation. Of course never lie being a Japanese citizen if you’re not, if they found out, you’ll be in a lot more troubles.

13. Me (white western guy) was never asked at any time to show anything while living 8 years in Japan. Is this really so common?

14. I have a 100% pure Japanese friend who was walking with her daughter around 15 years ago and was stopped by the police. She had just been to Guam so was very tanned and her fashion was very foreign looking.

    Despite speaking perfect Japanese, and looking pure Japanese (to me), she was detained while they determined her citizenship.

    So I guess on rare occasions, it can even happen to people who are very East Asian looking.

15. White european here. Stopped me a couple of times in the street, I show the residence card, they apologize profusely, I continue walking.

16. Police can tell you by the accent. If you are non east asian looking japanese but speak perfectly natural native Japanese and live in a big city, police gonna believe your myth. Otherwise police will suspect you and it’s within their authority to question you just as they question any stoned-looking drugs addicted japanese. If you lie you are dead. FYI any functional Japanese adults carry ID card in form of driving license when they walk outside, just in case of emergency

17. I used to get stopped every few months when I was in my 20s (15 years ago). Haven’t been stopped once since the earthquake in Fukushima

18. There was a viral tweet of a picture/video a few years ago showing a young Japanese getting ID’d by Japanese police for a few times already.

    It was labeled along the lines of “(nationality)系の日本人です。在留カードを見せてくださいと何回も言われたことがあります。”

    He was of a Middle East Asia / South Asian descent and the area was around Nagoya/Shizuoka if I remember correctly.

    I was in Okinawa recently and noticed that some/lots of the people there look like they have some foreign descent (Ryukyuu people have slightly different ancestry from mainland Yamato people) so it might be interesting to hear if the people from there got ID’d by Tokyo police when they are on a trip or something.

    IMO, mannerism and visible ticks contribute greatly on how other people saw you, so Chinese/Korean people can pretend that they are Japanese if they employ Japanese behavior visually.

    Police also tend to question suspicious looking individuals regardless of nationality. There is a viral youtube of a man who works in a leather shop with wild style (can’t remember if he also has tattoos) that gets 職質’d on a weekly basis.

19. Yeah, I’m obviously not Japanese, and have been asked for ID when walking, been asked to open my bags for inspection, and been pulled over on scooter, and in car. It happens. I try to start up a conversation and not let it ruin my day.

20. If you are a foreign resident of Japan you only need to have your Zairyu card on hand — as ***that*** is your visa card. No need to parade around with your passport.

    As for getting stopped by the police – it’s offensive and racist AF when they only do it to “obvious” non-Japanese and foreign people, but it’s not like you can change the system by refusing. If anything you’d just piss them off and make them think you’re up to no good. Better to just show the card, smile, and then carry on with your day. It’s happened to me twice and each time I just give them a hard look in the eye as I provide the card.

21. Yes once. They rocked up in a Subaru dressed like Crockett and Tubbs. Had a list of overstayers. I wasn’t on it so they bowed, apologized and went on their way.

22. This happened to a friend of mine a lot. She’s Japanese but look’s Filipino kind of, she gets stopped on a regular basis. Usually after she argues a bit they go away.

    But that being said Japanese is her native language. Nevertheless this is a problem I’ve heard a lot throughout my years in Japan, it’s one of the reasons I’m not 100% ok with raising my children here. If they walk around with a version of my face they’re going to be treated as permanent outsiders in their own home country. It’s not that other countries do this, but at least I’d like my kids to understand that this is bad, and not go on thinking they are bad.

23. I was stopped when I was tourist before I lived here and I had no idea what they were asking me for, luckily I was with a Japanese friend who told them I’m just a tourist. I haven’t been stopped since living here though.

24. Only once, in Tokyo Station. I just said that my train leaves soon (in Japanese), and they waved me on.

25. I’m white and was asked to show my ID once in the 17 years that I’ve been here. It was in a very crowded station and the policeman went through the crowd to come ask me … That felt strange and a little annoying but not a big deal in the end.

26. Plenty of times, usually because I was riding a bike a night but also because I was walking around at night in Machida, which has many… sex workers.

    I show them without a fuss. I have nothing to hide and am here legally. The worst thing I can think to do is resist and cause them to make a thing of it.

27. I’ve been stopped about 4 times.

    My mother is Japanese, and my father is creole-native American, so I don’t look Japanese at all. Add into the fact I’m 185CM (6’1″ for you cheesburgers per school shooting folks) I stand out.

    Now, with my looks out of the way, I get stopped for one of two reasons, mainly for overstay suspicion or for “looking suspicious” .

    Here’s the best part, I’m not a naturalized citizen, I’m a full blown Japanese citizen. Safe to say I’ve gotten 8 or so cops fired. And I’m damn proud of it.

28. Oops didn’t internalize the part about being a citizen.

29. Been here over 30 years and have carried that damn card every single day. Have never been asked. I’m sure the day I eventually forget my wallet at home is the day I’ll get stopped.

30. Never been stopped by the police, either when I was still a foreigner or after I naturalized. But your my number card is a legal form of identification these days, as when you naturalized your name change will be noted down on the card, together with the new expiration date. Your info is in the chip as well. If u don’t have one then I guess keep a picture of your passport in the phone. But I haven’t had to use that yet. And even though I am ethically East Asian, I am very non-Japanese looking.

31. I don’t get the problem, just show your ID and then go about your day.

32. Never

33. yes, but by an older police officer

34. Yes, it happens. I have no problem in showing my ID even if I don’t have to. My time is more valuable to me, I just don’t care. They want to see my ID because I’m blond, ok dude here it is.

35. Caucasian make. Not stopped once in two decades.

    Perhaps I just look friendly/dull/safe/unthreatening.

36. I’m caucasian and in four decades in Japan I have been stopped exactly once and asked to show my residency card. My kids, who are often assumed to be foreign, have never been stopped and asked to present ID.

37. As a non-Japanese citizen with two Japanese children. If it’s just me once every ten years, I probably wouldn’t bother. If my kids were ever stopped I would go ballistic, have my wife, any mass media attention I could get etc. do heavy rotation go off on whoever did it.

38. My experience hasn’t been as good as you guys but please stop me a few times a year and asked for ID although I live out in the countryside. If they see me going into the convenience store they always make a special trip to check the tags on my motorcycle and the last time I was stopped was just for walking down the sidewalk to check the bus schedule.

39. I lived in Kyoto for two years and I’m non-Asian. I got stopped exactly once. Nowadays I go to Osaka twice a year for holiday and I never carry my passport around with me and I’ve never been stopped.

40. I’m half white half Japanese with a completely English name and I get asked once in a while, like when I got pulled over by police. I tell them I’m Japanese and then they apologize!

41. Contrarian here.

    If you’re doing nothing wrong and you’re legally in the country. Show your ID. Be polite.

    You’ll be on your way in no time.

    The police here are incredibly bored and have to show their seniors what they have done for their shift.

    Contacting people is a huge part of that. No contacts then they are viewed as slackers.

42. Only time was when me and some friends got a noise complaint at a park during night. Never happened when randomly just minding my own business and following rules

43. I’m often in Tokyo for work, but I am not a resident and I either look haafu or not fully East Asian.

    I get stopped by police every so often (I think 4 or 5 times over the course of a couple dozen stays). Most of the time they are friendly, ask for my passport and have a quick chat. One time, it was 2 goons who were not friendly and they emptied all my pockets and bags and everything on the street.

    edit: I usually carry a backpack, and i cant remember if ive ever been stopped without one. Maybe that had something to do with it? I have also only been stopped/questioned in the day, not at night.

44. Wtf are you guys doing to get stopped so often? I have been stopped once in 12 years and am white as sin

45. I’ve only been stopped twice. Both times were around Kamata.

46. I come from the opinion that showing the identification to police makes things go smoother.

47. Never been asked in my life