Police vehicles in Japan are vehicles used by Japanese prefectural police for patrolling, consisting of a variety of vehicles depending on the environment and situation.[1] Most police vehicles in Japan are manufactured by domestic automakers such as Toyota, Nissan, or Subaru.
The formal Japanese term for a police vehicle is,[2] but the term, an abbreviation of "patrol car", is also widely used. The acronym "PC" is commonly used in police terminology[3] (including over the radio).
Unlike how some departments in the U.S. and Canada allow their officers to take home their police vehicles, Japan does not allow officers to take home any kind of law enforcement vehicle. Every marked police patrol vehicles are in black-and-white two tone livery, motorcycles are usually all white. Vehicles for riot police units are painted blue and white, and especially vehicles for the Rescue Squads of the TMPD are painted green and white.
Unlike fire trucks and ambulances, patrol cars often seen in the city are operated as mobile regional police units. They actively patrol the city to detect and prevent crimes and accidents rather than waiting at police stations, and are prepared to quickly arrive on scene whenever an emergency call is made. In addition, both traffic police and criminal police units do not only carry out police operations and investigations in the city, but also serve an operational purpose to quickly reach a scene from within the city.
The beginning of police cars in Japan is said to be at the Asakusa police station in January 1949 (Shōwa 24). Following post-WWII turmoil, security in Japan was poor, with many robberies and thefts.[4] [5] Therefore, the local municipal police at the time painted a US military-sourced car as a trial vehicle.
In June 1950 (Shōwa 25), the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department deployed three so-called patrol cars, which were modified sedan-bodied WWII-era Nissan 180 truck chassis with radios. As the Korean War broke out at around the same time, the Japanese Red Purge became popular under the MacArthur Directive, and the role of the municipal police increased.
These first three police cars were of poor quality with a harsh ride, and broke down frequently. As a result, subsequent police cars were based on Ford and Chevrolet models sold by the US military.[6] Due to a stated risk of radio jamming and interception, police radios were prohibited at the discretion of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, so police cars often got lost. VHF radios were finally allowed from the late 1950s.
In the 1960s, when the quality of domestic cars began to rise, police cars also began to be based on new domestic models, such as the Toyota Crown-based Toyota Patrol. The Nissan Cedric and Isuzu Bellel were also adopted as base vehicles for police cars, and before long, only domestic models were used as police vehicles.When the expressway system opened, sports cars were adopted as base cars for police cars. Cars such as the Nissan Fairlady Z and the Mazda Cosmo Sports were involved in speed control on expressways. In urban areas, where illegal parking became a problem, police kei cars, commonly known as,[7] begun to play an active role. Mini-pato base cars included the Suzuki Fronte and the Daihatsu Fellow Max, and they were mainly driven by .
From the end of the 1970s to the 1980s, foreign police cars reappeared in small quantities. The Porsche 911 and BMW 3 Series were painted in black and white as marked cars, and the Mercedes-Benz W124 was deployed as an unmarked car. The most notable and famous of these is probably the Niigata Prefectural Police's 1978 Porsche 911SC. This model, which was first deployed when the Hokuriku Expressway opened, has also been used as a PR vehicle for the prefectural police and has been in use for over 20 years, which is very unusual for a police car in Japan.
Shortly after WWII, some municipal police units used jeep-type vehicles painted white for transportation. However, since roads at that time were unpaved and most of the domestic vehicles then were painted white,[8] the vehicles were heavily damaged and polluted, as well as not easily identified. As a solution, American police cars were used as a reference. The sides and front of the body, which easily got dirty, were painted black, the roof was left white, and the hood was either painted black or white to easily be able to identify police vehicles.[9] This led to the black-and-white two-tone police livery that is used in Japan to this day. However, the modified Nissan 180 that was first deployed used a white-and-green (some say white-and-blue) two-tone pattern, also similar to American police cars of the time. It was only in 1955 (Shōwa 30) that the black-and-white two-tone livery was made a nationwide standard.
Regarding the car's livery, the National Police Agency stipulates that "the body is to be painted in black and white, equipped with red warning lights and loudspeakers on the top (roof) and front, and the name of the prefecture is to be written on the side''.
As stated above, in 1955 (Shōwa 30), in order to distinguish police vehicles from other cars which were mostly white at the time, the lower half of the body was colored with black paint to make damage and dirt less noticeable. However, there are no detailed regulations at the national level, and each prefectural police force has slight differences in the livery and emergency lighting, among other details.
The Japanese-language text on the sides usually takes the form of the name of the prefecture, followed by the suffix,, or (e.g. and). Whether a Mincho or Gothic typeface is used also varies between prefectures. Currently, only a few departments, such as the Kagoshima Prefectural Police and the Kumamoto Prefectural Police, use a Mincho typeface. The Gifu Prefectural Police is the only department in Japan that has their department name written in white on the bottom of the front door for only expressway patrol units, replacing the "POLICE" notation. The Aomori Prefectural Police has a white swan illustration on the bottom of the front door.[10]
Police cars are not equipped with red warning lights and sirens specifically because they are police vehicles, but rather emergency vehicles in general, as stipulated by the Road Traffic Act.
Normally, it is customary for marked patrol cars in charge of leading the Imperial motorcade to have one side of the lightbar changed to blue, but in recent years, the red lights have been left as they are and a detachable streamlined blue warning light became mainstream instead. In December 2008 (Heisei 20), when guarding the China-Japan-South Korea Summit Meeting held in Fukuoka Prefecture, each country's police cars were equipped with warning lights of different colors for identification purposes. South Korea used red and blue warning lights, Japan used red and blue front warning lights, and China used red and green warning lights. The Ōita Prefectural Police used to have cars equipped with American-style red and blue warning lights, but these vehicles were only used for guarding the Imperial House. In addition, some police cars used by United States Forces Japan are equipped with red and blue lights.
In 2007, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department decided to implement a yellow reflective material for the "POLICE" lettering on the sides and rear bumper, to make police cars more easily recognizable to foreigners and improve visibility.[11]
Police cars differ in displacement and output depending on the type and purpose. Standard police cars generally have NaN1NaN1 engines, mini-pato cars have NaN1NaN1 engines, and expressway patrol cars have NaN1NaN1 engines. For this reason, vehicles are largely restricted to their initial departments, so new orders are placed for dedicated vehicles for each purpose. However, there are cases where sports cars are acquired by donation or ordered by the prefectural police, and among them, the Nissan Fairlady Z has a track record of all generations having been made into police cars.
In addition, many patrol cars have the affiliated police station/unit name abbreviation (code) and vehicle identification number written on the roof, and the TMPD and some police headquarters also have this notation on the windshield. For example, if unit 1 belonging to the Kōjimachi Police Station of the TMPD has "麹町1" (Hepburn: "Kojimachi 1") on the windshield, "麹1" ("Kōji 1") on the roof, "302" for "keishi" unit 302, which belongs to Headquarters, "高速3" (kōsoku 3) for unit No. 3 belonging to the Expressway Patrol, "速3" (soku 3) on the roof, etc.
Since it also serves as an identification signal for police radios, police officers are required to give their unit number (call sign) at the beginning of any radio communication. For example, in the case of the Keishi No. 217 car of the TMPD, it would be "From Keishi 217 to TMPD, turning left near the 〇〇 intersection and heading south." In particular, the unit number on the roof is called "aircraft notation", and it is intended for the air crew to easily see and understand which unit when operating a helicopter communicates with the vehicle on the ground by radio. Therefore, basic police radios are mostly not installed in traffic enforcement vehicles such as mini-patos, and many Kōban police boxes or police station vehicles do not have aircraft notation. It is usually not displayed on unmarked police cars because it would break the purpose of being concealed.
As a distinctive freature on the exterior, there are one or multiple antennas for the police radio system.[12] These antennas are usually disguised; early on, the "F-1" antenna that imitated a personal radio antenna was used, and in the 1990s, the "TL" antenna that imitated a car phone antenna became mainstream. This was in turn followed by the "TA" antenna that is disguised as the diversity antenna of an in-car analog TV since the early 2000s,[13] the "Euro" film antennas adjusted to the frequency of police radios, and short rod-shaped antennas (manufactured by Nippon Antenna: MG-UV-TP, WH-UV-TP, etc.), which are currently the mainstream design. Each subsequent antenna type was adopted due to the disguise becoming ineffective as in-car technology evolved. However, as an exception, some prefectural police cars use antennas disguised as amateur radio whip antennas.
Japanese police cars are mainly divided into marked police cars (equipped with a two-tone livery[14] and either a red rotating lightbar fixed to the roof, or a single deployable red rotating light) and unmarked police cars (equipped with a deployable red rotating light that can be hidden or stowed away).
A standard police car is operated by one or two uniformed police officers. This is the most common and numerous patrol car in the Japanese police force, and it is mainly used in local police activities, the deterrence of collisions and traffic violations, and the investigation and crime vigilance activities of the detective department. When tailing a suspect in a criminal investigation, it is necessary to conceal the identity of the police from the suspect, so an unmarked car is used, but other police activities are carried out in an easily identifiable marked car.
Each car is assigned not to an officer, but to one of a number of departments, including mobile patrol, traffic enforcement, and expressway patrol. There are about 9,000 police cars that have been purchased with national funds and are deployed in various places nationwide, excluding unmarked cars.
As of 2022, the Toyota Crown is the most common marked police car in each prefecture, though the Yamanashi Prefectural Police uses the Toyota Mark X. The previously common Subaru Legacy is on the decline. In addition, the Saitama Prefectural Police uses the Nissan Teana as their patrol vehicle.
Some prefectural police forces have operated numerous high-performance police vehicles in their fleets, with a notable example being the Tochigi Prefectural Police. High-performance vehicles operated by these forces include the Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, Nissan GT-R R35, Subaru Impreza WRX STi, Honda NSX, Nissan 370z and Lexus LC 500. Alongside regular use for traffic enforcement on the various expressways of Japan, these high-performance vehicles are often used for publicity and ceremonial purposes. On some occasions, these vehicles have donated to prefectural police forces by either private owners or vehicle manufacturers.[15] [16] [17]
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Japanese police used Ford Mustangs such as the Ford Mustang Mach 1.[18]
"Mini-pato" mini police cars got its name from the Japanese term for police car "パトカー (Hepburn: patokā), and "mini" added onto it since it is a compact car mainly used for traffic enforcement, Kōbans, and other purposes that does not need full-sized police vehicles. Mini-patos are vehicles 1,500 cc or less, total length of 4,500 mm or less and fits within the "5-number" vehicle class code size frame (There are exceptions such as the Suzuki SX4, which is treated as 3 numbers with a total width exceeding 1,700 mm.) This is a police car using a compact car or light "kei"car, and has two types of marked "uniformed" police car and marked police car, however in general, what is called a mini-pato in the field is a "small patrol vehicle" deployed at Kōban police boxes or police stations relatively far from the main station, and/or light vehicles that is used exclusively for the enforcement of illegal parking and for controlling and directing traffic on the street - marked police car of about 1,500 cc (It seems that it is often called "mini pato" even by the officers). The former, called a "compact patrol vehicle", was deployed for the first time in 1974 to 100 police stations with severe road and weather conditions nationwide (Shōwa 50 edition "White Paper on Police"). A large number of 1,000 cc - 1,500 cc class vehicles were introduced by the government (National Police Agency) at national expense and deployed nationwide, so there are relatively many opportunities to see them on the streets of Japan. Depending on the fiscal year, bidding may be done with 4WD designation, and if bidding for 2WD vehicles is also done, two models may be deployed in that fiscal year.
In addition, there are quite a few procurements with prefectural expenses, and in that case, models different from those procured by the government may be introduced. The latter, which is often called a "mini-pato" in the field, often adopts a kei-car, especially in large metropolitan areas such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, since it is effective on congested roads where it is difficult to secure even a space for full-sizedpatrol cars to stop during enforcements. In local cities, there is a tendency to adopt a class so-called liter car, and it seems that durability is taken into account because the jurisdiction is wide and the travel distance is relatively long. Since most of the procurement is funded by prefectural governments, there is no standardized model nationwide. Equipped with a red revolving light and a siren amplifier, it is designated as an emergency vehicle by the Road Traffic Act Ordinance.
☆ is a light "kei-car", ★ is a compact car with a "3-number" standard body
Additionally, kei-cars such as Daihatsu Mira (including Gino, e:S, Tocot), Esse, Cast (Style), Hijet Cargo, Mistubishi Minica, Suzuki Alto (including Lapin), and Every are often seen especially in metropolitan areas such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.
Regarding about the equipment, it is usually simpler than a marked police car such as an Crown called a radio patrol vehicle, and it is often not equipped with a speed radar or an in-vehicle radio. For this reason, many police headquarters have established guidelines for the operation of small patrol vehicles, requiring police officers riding in them to carry portable radios or radio receivers. Antenna(s) are installed in many vehicles, and it is often operated by connecting the cable to the radio. Some vehicles are equipped with data communication terminals and car location systems.
Also, in recent years, radio patrol vehicles have been equipped with navigation systems, but they are rarely equipped most likely because they are not so necessary due to operational characteristics. Unlike radio patrol vehicles, it is based on a publicly-available vehicles rather than a "police package" trim, so the equipment of the base car is left as it is. The red warning light is equipped with a small diffused warning light, but the boomerang "V-type" type is the same as other police cars.
A unmarked police car has the same appearance as a normal civilian vehicle in normal times, and refers to a police car that exposes a red light and sounds a siren only when in case of an emergency. Since it is possible to tail a suspicious vehicle or a suspicious person without being noticed that it is a police car, which means there is little possibility that the target will know it is a police vehicle and possibly escape.
Formally and officially, unmarked vehicles used for traffic enforcement are called "four-wheeled vehicle for traffic enforcement (rotating warning light), (Japanese: 交通取締用四輪車（反転警光灯）",[19] Hepburn: kōtsū-torishimariyō-yonrinsha (hanten-keikōtō))", a "escort vehicle (Japanese: 警護車, Hepburn: keigo-sha)", and vehicles used for criminal investigations are called "investigation vehicle" (Japanese: 捜査用車 Hepburn: sousayō-sha)". These three types of vehicles are collectively called unmarked police vehicles and sometimes simply abbreviated as "unmarked (Japanese: 覆面, Hepburn: fukumen)" or "unmarked car (Japanese: 覆面車, Hepburn: fukumen-sha"). However, among the "investigation vehicles", there are normal vehicles that are not designated as emergency vehicles (emergency driving certification) and are not equipped with detachable red rotating lights and sirens. In addition, the police officers who operate in unmarked cars do not necessarily wear police uniforms, and they may patrol in the same clothes as ordinary people as "plain clothes police officers". It is common for the unmarked vehicle members of the patrol and Traffic Enforcement Units to wear uniforms and helmets, and the members of the Mobile Investigation Units to wear suits, but in some cases they are plain clothes.
The four-wheeled vehicle for traffic enforcement (rotating warning light) has a red warning light stored in the roof of the vehicle, just like an escort vehicle (It is called the "rotating type" because it used to be stored 180 degrees in the roof, but the current type is lying on its side in the storage space and exposed to the outside by a link mechanism that interlocks with the movement of the lid to open). In addition, it seems that very early unmarked
police cars' rotating light only ascended and descended and did not rotate up into position,[20] and you can watch the video of the masked police car introduced in 1967.
Unmarked traffic patrol cars are deployed in Traffic Enforcement Units (traffic corps), Expressway Patrol (high-speed corps), and traffic departments of police stations (district police stations), and mainly carry out traffic control and enforcement. Vehicles in units such as traffic enforcement unit that enforce traffic violations have a red warning light stored in the center of the roof that automatically rotates and rises when a switch is operated inside the vehicle. Therefore, there is a recess/void (sometimes called a "washbowl" due to its shape) in the roof of the car where the rotating light is stored.
In addition, the police officers riding in the car primarily to wear the blue uniform of the traffic enforcement unit or the black uniform made of synthetic leather in principle, so if you look closely inside the car, you can tell that it is a police vehicle. As an exception, there are vehicles that use magnet-type red lights in the same way as investigation vehicles, such as vehicles for fighting against bōsōzoku motorcycle gangs (maru-sou) in various places and even the Traffic Enforcement Units can be dispatched in plain clothes. Some vehicles have a function to display "FOLLOW ME" or "SLOW DOWN" on the electric display board installed in the rear tray.
Unmarked traffic police cars, like marked police cars, have their own grades for each automaker. However, since there is less demand than marked police cars, there are fewer models, and currently only the Toyota Crown is set as a catalog model. However, as described in the marked police car section, the majority of cases are purchased by the prefectural police unit, purchased in bulk by the National Police Agency through general competitive bidding, or donated, so there are also many unmarked police cars based on general civilian vehicles. During the bubble economy, in order to reduce the trade surplus, there were cases in which foreign-made luxury vehicles such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW were purchased with government funds and deployed in the expressway patrol units of major prefectural police.
The vehicle price is 33,311,640 yen for 4 units (8,327,910 yen per unit), as an example of the Toyota Mark X purchased by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and deployed to the traffic riot police in 2016. However, it is a sports model equipped with a 3.5-liter V6-cylinder engine, a specially developed supercharger and ECU, and a special specification with increased torque and horsepower.[21]