Hello everyone. I have been living in Kyoto, Higashiyama district for 8 months. and a few minutes ago I had a visit from a policeman who rang the doorbell. he introduced himself as a policeman and that he was part of the local police force. he had all the uniform and equipment of a policeman. he told me that he wanted to collect information, like a census to find out who lives there. he asked me for my first name, last name, telephone number and he took a photo of my Zaiyru Card. he told me that it was for administrative purposes, and that's it. is this normal or common practice? it scares me a little because I understand very little Japanese I am a little scared. then I tell myself it is in the middle of the day he was dressed in a policeman's outfit etc so well .. if you have any information. do not hesitate. have a good day
by FrenchTakoyaki
4 comments
Yes normal, they keep a list of local residents for emergency purposes and its a form of community outreach for (usually young) police officers stationed in a new area.
Yup! I got one a few months back too. It helps them for emergency purposes, gives them a number so if there is a natural disaster they know how many people to look for, and it lets them meet the locals. It’s a totally normal, friendly visit and nothing to worry about!
if you ever feel anxious about if it’s a real policeman, you can always ask them to show you their badge
Totally normal and benign. I got a visit from a cop stationed in the local koban when I moved in to my place. As everyone here has said: it’s for public safety.