Tokyo Police Assault Eight-Year-Old Halfu?

[Mike Oxlong]

[GomiGirl]

Not sure that Dad is setting a good example for Junior here and the photos of Junior seem a bit melodramatic.

Something about this story doesn't sit well with me either. But I can't be bothered trying to articulate it other than that it is a bit sad that this kid has been dragged through this "he said/he said" altercation.

[Yokohammer]

I wasn't going to say anything, but now that GG has expressed misgivings I will try to articulate my own.

The guy went after the cops who were on their way to a call, basically to pick a fight. I know he says he wanted to find out what was going on, but he also implies that he was pissed at them for flashing their lights and went after them when they had no business with him and probably just wanted him to get the fuck out of their way. Whatever was going on had nothing to do with him, yet he felt compelled to go out of his way to confront the cops without even considering that they might be on urgent business.

How the cop in question reacted and whether he actually assaulted the boy or not I do not know. But to me it sounds like the confrontation was provoked. Sounds to me like he was looking for a fight.

What makes me even more uncomfortable is the fact that we're seeing way too many stories like this lately.

[GomiGirl]

What makes me even more uncomfortable is the fact that we're seeing way too many stories like this lately.

Is this a wave of Debito copycats?

People pushing their sense of entitlement and arrogance when they should just be minding their own damn business.

[IparryU]

I wasn't going to say anything, but now that GG has expressed misgivings I will try to articulate my own.

The guy went after the cops who were on their way to a call, basically to pick a fight. I know he says he wanted to find out what was going on, but he also implies that he was pissed at them for flashing their lights and went after them when they had no business with him and probably just wanted him to get the fuck out of their way. Whatever was going on had nothing to do with him, yet he felt compelled to confront the police without even considering that they might be on urgent business.

Sounds to me like he was looking for a fight, which he got.

How the cop reacted and whether he actually assaulted the boy or not I do not know. But to me it sounds like the confrontation was provoked.

What makes me even more uncomfortable is the fact that we're seeing way too many stories like this lately.

Well... at least it isn't like the US where if you interfere with a cop they could beat the shit out of you and go clean...

My bet is that this will either settle out of court (in FG dad's favor OR not) or FG dad will try to escalate it and it go nowhere...

same either way, but just more time/money wasted from the FG dad.

All in all, FG dad should have seen his chance of going straight and not following the police as a sign to get home with his son.

[Coligny]

"They turned on the lights behind me, which is very dangerous,"

The father is full of shit.

Civilians have no right of direct inquiry against police activities.

If you have a priority vehicle behind you putting lights and sirens you let them pass or stop if ordered... end of story... rotary beacons only, don't have any official meanings, they can be to warn of obstruction ahead or just to say "i'm here"

And I have not even checked the road and traffic laws concerning minor passengers on motorbikes (book is in the car... and is cold today)

[Yokohammer]

Is this a wave of Debito copycats?

People pushing their sense of entitlement and arrogance when they should just be minding their own damn business.

And getting their grievances published in the media. That's what bothers me about this type of story. It's not even really newsworthy, yet it's in the paper where it's read by others who take it as gospel truth and begin to hold grudges that are based on someone else's biased account. That can only lead to more prejudice on both sides, which is the last thing we need.

You said it ... people should stop assuming that they're the center of the universe and mind their own damn business.

Well... at least it isn't like the US where if you interfere with a cop they could beat the shit out of you and go clean...

Exactly. These aggrieved gaijin seem to forget what could happen to them if they tried the same shit back home, wherever that is.

[GomiGirl]

We need a definition for this -

The Debito phenomenon n. - People who seek out injustices (real or imagined) against foreigners in order to have them published in the Economist.

I have contacts with the OED and I might put it forward to the board to have it included in the next release of the dictionary.

[matsuki]

Father sounds really off....but then if an officer really punched his kid, that's pretty insane. If what he says is true, I hope he presses forward with charges and the video footage gets released.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Regardless of what happened afterwards the father should have just kept going once he realized the cops weren't after him. And to try to get your 8 year old involved in taking photos is crazy. If you really are dealing with an unstable violent police officer, the last thing you want to do is focus his attention on your kid.

Oh yeah, and aren't sirens supposed to be turned on behind you so you know to get out of the way? I don't get his beef with that at all.

[Sarutaro]

A lot of police cars cruise around with their lights flashing. It's a bit annoying, but it doesn't mean that they want you to pull over. If so, they will tell you in the loudspeaker. The father (over)reacted in a totally wrong way. What I really want to know is what VISA he is on!

[canman]

What is it with all of you on this site! You are all haters! I believe this guy is telling the honest to God's truth, and wish that all of you would just leave him alone. You are all such a bunch of big meanies!:twisted:

[Mike Oxlong]

[floatl][/floatl]




[SIZE="5"]Japan. Endless discovery.[/SIZE]

[Yokohammer]

A lot of police cars cruise around with their lights flashing. It's a bit annoying, but it doesn't mean that they want you to pull over. If so, they will tell you in the loudspeaker. The father (over)reacted in a totally wrong way. What I really want to know is what VISA he is on!

Here in Miyagi the police drive around with their lights flashing all the time. Apparently it just means they're "on patrol." It's the norm.

It's actually really useful for us drivers, because we usually see them coming before they see us.

[Coligny]

Here in Miyagi the police drive around with their lights flashing all the time. Apparently it just means they're "on patrol." It's the norm.

It's actually really useful for us drivers, because we usually see them coming before they see us.

It also prevent assholes from assholing...

Anyway...

Anyone can put red beacons on their cars, there don't seems to be any restriction. Only the neigbourghood vigilante put blue beacon because (at least here) they allready drive panda colored cars with the same pattern as police cars, and have cute matching uniform. That's going a wee bit to far on the impersonation scale...

I have to check, but I think my emergency beacon (long range visibility in case of immobilisation) in the car might be red or at least really dark orange... I also have a small one (5x5 footprint with a much shorter visibility range around the same as a turning signal) for overhang cargo when I carry wood on the roof bars, I tie it to the rear end of the cargo instead of the legally required red flag.
(before you ask... Yes I always measure any overhangs before driving... and take pictures of the overhang, and the cargo, and the restrain and tie downs used... and tend to double check the safety of the load at the first red light on the way... while I have yet to see any kind of tie down for construction equipment carried on flatbeds)(I am THAT fun to be around with...)

[Kanchou]

Cops in Fukushima driving have they're lights on the vast majority of the time.

Clearly he should have NOT followed them if they didn't follow him. This is like 80% the dad's fault.

I'm curious to see what the footage really shows though.

[Mike Oxlong]

It's my impression that in Japan, when one wishes to seek redress after a physical confrontation, one goes immediately to the hospital to document one's injuries...bruises, scratches, and such. If it proves that was not the case here with the boy being taken to the hospital by his father within the 24h period following the incident, one might wonder whether or not he was being completely straight in his story.

[legion]

[Coligny]

I think we may be seeing the after effects of the earthquake. For me this last year has been one of continual low key stress, on top of all the stress of the global & Japanese economy we've had a terrible tragedy and of course the worry over Fukushima, not quite post trauma but a milder, low key version. So people are acting a bit stranger than usual.

Must admit that the behaviour of the governement calls more for an insurection than anything else...

"We don't care aboot youz, eat contaminated rice it's yer duty and pay yer taxes beeeyotches..."

[Doctor Stop]

Two photos of the kid, no photos of his bruise and no photos of his father.

[Netherlander]

[bichiguso]

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Frankly, I'm really delighted to see this story, especially as it's been given a full page with a big, dramatic photo of an 8-year-old kid riding a motorbike (which, strictly speaking, is illegal if it's parked on public road, but I'm being pedantic).

If this is the JT's idea of Japan's Zeit Geit, surely this must mean we don't have to worry about silly little things like Fukushima, the economy, public debt, joblessness, rapid aging, low birthrate, social reform, hollowing out of rural areas and regional cities and shite like nuclear-armed Best Korea being run by a corpulent youth with a George Orwell haircut and holding severe grudges against this cuntry.

[waruta]

Frankly, I'm really delighted to see this story, especially as it's been given a full page with a big, dramatic photo of an 8-year-old kid riding a motorbike (which, strictly speaking, is illegal if it's parked on public road, but I'm being pedantic).

If this is the JT's idea of Japan's Zeit Geit, surely this must mean we don't have to worry about silly little things like Fukushima, the economy, public debt, joblessness, rapid aging, low birthrate, social reform, hollowing out of rural areas and regional cities and shite like nuclear-armed Best Korea being run by a corpulent youth with a George Orwell haircut and holding severe grudges against this cuntry.

Hear Hear!
"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Screwed-down Hairdo again."

[IparryU]

Frankly, I'm really delighted to see this story, especially as it's been given a full page with a big, dramatic photo of an 8-year-old kid riding a motorbike (which, strictly speaking, is illegal if it's parked on public road, but I'm being pedantic).

If this is the JT's idea of Japan's Zeit Geit, surely this must mean we don't have to worry about silly little things like Fukushima, the economy, public debt, joblessness, rapid aging, low birthrate, social reform, hollowing out of rural areas and regional cities and shite like nuclear-armed Best Korea being run by a corpulent youth with a George Orwell haircut and holding severe grudges against this cuntry.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Screwed-down Hairdo again.

dammit Coligny! quit eatin all the green crayons!

[Coligny]

dramatic photo of an 8-year-old kid riding a motorbike (which, strictly speaking, is illegal if it's parked on public road, but I'm being pedantic).

Not if the engine is not running... A biker pushing a motorbike is legally a pedestrian. (this rule does not apply to vehicles being towed and the road and traffic law seems to omit the case concerning the status of people pushing a disabled car)

If this is the JT's idea of Japan's Zeit Geit, surely this must mean we don't have to worry about silly little things like Fukushima, the economy, public debt, joblessness, rapid aging(1), low birthrate(2), social reform, hollowing out of rural areas and regional cities and shite like nuclear-armed Best Korea being run by a corpulent youth with a George Orwell haircut and holding severe grudges against this cuntry.

(1) I blame Greji
(2) I blame... Yua Aida who don't return mah phone calls...
(2b) and pediatric doctors and neo natalists... who suck donkey balls...

[Coligny]

dammit Coligny! quit eatin all the green crayons!

Childhood troma... can't resist...

And don't get me started with paste...

[Coligny]

Am' gunna be redsnotted to hell (maybe not since I ate all the crayons)... But let stop badmouthing J-Cops...

Maybe they are not always the best in their jobs... but compared to Tepco's payroll they deserve a medal...

[matsuki]

Father is obviously a nut and this whole incident wouldn't have happened without his retard behavior....but I still want to see the video. The officer may be as nutty as the father.

I learned the hard way that even saying hello to [mostly Tokyo] police in Japan gets you stopped and lightly searched, because people just don't mess with police there.

I live right by a Koban and since I have to walk by it all times of the day and night, if there is an officer standing outside, I always give em a polite "good morning" or "good evening" and have always got a warm smile and response. A few times I was carrying my hockey equipment and they actually chatted me up about it. Anyhow, if I ever have to call upon them, at least most of them will be able to recognize me and know I'm friendly/fluent...the last thing you want to hear when you need help and run into a koban is teeth sucking...on the other hand, anywhere else I encounter police in Japan, I tend to ignore them for the reasons you stated. Never happened to me but many of my friends have been stopped and subjected to questioning. (though never any searches) Best to leave em be.

[IparryU]

Me likes them cops above... shit... start the strip search already!