I think we've seen this coming for a while, and frankly I'm surprised that it took so long. I thought that the Japanese government would follow America's suit and use terrorism as an excuse to crack down on crime; instead they have used 'Drinking & Driving' for their cover. They say they are cracking down on it by doing 'random' checks. The have caught a lot of drunk drivers, but what they aren't hyping in the news is how many people they have arrested for other violations. Once they stop you they can search your vehicle till the cows come home.
Just some info for the Junkie Gaijins (me?) out there.
1) The police have the right to stop anybody, anytime, and do a body search and even a strip search if they so choose. You can try to refuse, and it does work sometimes, but don't assume that you have a right to privacy. The most likely places you will be stopped is Shibuya and Akihabara.
2) The police can not enter stores, restaurants, and other business places unless invited by the owners or they see a crime in progress. Not like America where cops eat at the next table. So if you are in a head-shop and cops are outside, just chill till they are gone.
3) The police don't ride the trains. It is always safer to ride the train or if you think your in trouble get into a station.
4) If a Japanese is caught with drugs and arrested, they can not make deals like in America to get off free. However, they have to show remorse for what they did and have to prove it by snitching. The low-done is snitch and get probation, don't snitch go to jail. They will turn a gaijin in within a heartbeat. The culture is based on shame, meaning that if nobody sees them doing something bad they don't give a shit (explains a lot doesn't it.) If they snitch on you and you go to jail, you'll be deported as soon as your released. No shame for them.
In reality the police don't give a shit about drug users. The police and the yakuza are tightly knit together and work together. But at the moment the government is pressuring them so they have to make a certain number of arrests before things get back to normal. So in the mean time stay safe.
Just some info for the Junkie Gaijins (me?) out there.
1) The police have the right to stop anybody, anytime, and do a body search and even a strip search if they so choose. You can try to refuse, and it does work sometimes, but don't assume that you have a right to privacy. The most likely places you will be stopped is Shibuya and Akihabara.
2) The police can not enter stores, restaurants, and other business places unless invited by the owners or they see a crime in progress. Not like America where cops eat at the next table. So if you are in a head-shop and cops are outside, just chill till they are gone.
3) The police don't ride the trains. It is always safer to ride the train or if you think your in trouble get into a station.
4) If a Japanese is caught with drugs and arrested, they can not make deals like in America to get off free. However, they have to show remorse for what they did and have to prove it by snitching. The low-done is snitch and get probation, don't snitch go to jail. They will turn a gaijin in within a heartbeat. The culture is based on shame, meaning that if nobody sees them doing something bad they don't give a shit (explains a lot doesn't it.) If they snitch on you and you go to jail, you'll be deported as soon as your released. No shame for them.
In reality the police don't give a shit about drug users. The police and the yakuza are tightly knit together and work together. But at the moment the government is pressuring them so they have to make a certain number of arrests before things get back to normal. So in the mean time stay safe.
