10

COMMUNITY SAFETY
cerns and welcome suggestions for
improvement of police services.
They also inquire about the family
composition and how to contact the
resident in an emergency.
(4) Community Activities
To prevent juvenile delinquency
and contribute to the sound growth
of youth, many community police
offcers teach boys and girls various
sports, such as judo and kendo,
and cultural activities including
painting, calligraphy and tea cere-
mony while off duty. They also par-
ticipate in various community gath-
erings to establish strong ties with
community residents.
(5) Counseling Services for
Citizens
Community police provide coun-
seling on juvenile issues, consumer
victimization, drug abuse, orga-
nized crime intervention in civil af-
fairs and traffc accidents. They also
receive requests and complaints
concerning the police themselves.
In 1990, each PPH established a
General Counseling Offce. Fur-
thermore, the police initiated a na-
tionwide telephone line exclusively
for counseling services.
(6) Koban (Chuzaisho)
Liaison Council
There are about 13,000 Koban
(Chuzaisho) Liaison Councils na-
tionwide. Each council consists of
community residents from various
walks of life. Council members ex-
press opinions, make requests, and
study and discuss community is-
sues with the police to promote
community safety activities.
E. Mobile Units of
Community Police
Radio-equipped patrol cars are
deployed at each PPH, police sta-
tion, Koban and Chuzaisho. Police
offcers use them for routine patrol
and emergency response. These
cars remain in constant radio con-
tact with their police station and the
communications command center
of the PPH. When an emergency is
reported, this rapid response capa-
bility plays a major role in the quick
resolution of such incidents.
Also, community police deploys
boats and helicopters.
F. Emergency Response
Dial 110
(1) Communications and
Command Center (CCC)
Reacting to emergency calls such
as Dial 110, CCC in each PPH
dispatches police offcers at Koban
and Chuzaisho, patrol cars, and
other mobile police units.
(2) Current State of Dial
110
The number of Dial 110 calls has
increased annually. In 2012 the po-
lice received about 9 million calls
nationwide. This means that on any
given day the CCC receives a call
about every 3.4 seconds. (Refer to
Police Info-Communications on
page 29 about Communications
Command Systems.)
2. Crime Prevention
Although 2002 was the worst year
on record with 2,850,000 reported
Penal Code offenses, the number
has decreased by half as a result of
enhanced crime prevention mea-
sures carried out by the police along
with the efforts of society. However,
the function of neighborhoods as a
crime deterrent has deteriorated by
weakened community solidarity and
widespread anonymity of urban life.
In such a situation, the police are
making efforts to promote a society
in which crimes hardly occur, as
well as to deter the occurrence of
crime.
A. The law-abiding mentality
and the strong ties in
society
We must not overlook even the
slightest offenses and must urge
deep regrets for the offenses. These
efforts will nourish peoples law-
Types of 110Call (2012)
Trafc Affairs
31.2%
Trafc Affairs
Information of
All Sorts
11.8%
Notes: Except pranks, no response, wrong number
Subsequent
Reports
11.7%
Demands
and
Complaints
11.7%
Criminal
Affairs
5.5%
Inquiries
11.0%
Inquiries
Information of All
Sorts
Subsequent Reports
Criminal Affairs
Demands and
Complaints
Others
17.1%
Others
Total
9,354,015
11
abiding mentality. Also, we must
strengthen the ties in society by a
variety of efforts which support
those people who feel isolated or
alienated from society.
B. Creation of layers of vol-
untary activities in crime
prevention
Voluntary activities in crime pre-
vention have involved many citizens
and have rapidly developed into a
national movement to secure com-
muni ty safety. The number of
groups engaged in crime preven-
tion activities has recently increased
and amounted to about 46,700. The
police regard these groups as part-
ners indispensable for deterring
crimes and offer the following as-
sistance:
To provide regional safety infor-
mation
To provide necessary implement
of activities
To provide ways of carrying out
activities such as joint patrols
with the police and crime pre-
vention seminars
C. Promotion of Safe and
Secure Urban Planning
which takes Crime
Prevention into Con-
sideration
The police are promoting a safe
and secure urban planning which
takes crime prevention into consid-
eration in order to create a safer
society where people can feel se-
cure and live without fear of falling
victim to crime. For example, this
promotion includes the installation
of security lights and security cam-
eras, and landscaping that does not
impede visibility.
D. Encouragement of sound
growth of community
safety industry
The police are encouraging sound
growth of the industry of community
safety, especially private security
businesses, as they play a major
role in creating a society in which
crimes hardly occur.
3. Sound Growth of
Amusement Business
A. Current State of
Amusement Business
Eating and drinking establish-
ments (cabarets and bars) and
amusement business (pachinko
parlors and game centers) provide
the general public with entertain-
ment opportunities. However, there
is a continuing concern that these
establishments might corrupt public
morals and hamper the sound de-
velopment of youth, unless properly
operated. The police give guidance
to and assert the necessary control
over amusement business to aid
them in offering legitimate services.
B. Elimination of
Boryokudan from the
Amusement Business
In some cases, Boryokudan (or-
ganized crime groups) appear to
remain involved in amusement
business, causing interference with
the legitimate operation of the busi-
ness. The police have been tackling
Boryokudan by strictly cracking
down on illegal activities of Bo-
ryokudan. Initiatives such as hold-
ing seminars for business operators
on resisting Boryokudan are also
being carried out to eliminate Bo-
ryokudan.
Number of Amusement Businesses (2008-2012)
Year
Classifcation
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Category No. 1
(cabarets, etc)
3,668 3,379 3,128 2,933 2,774
Category No. 2
(bars, restaurants, etc.)
67,330 67,034 66,009 65,313 65,215
Category No. 3
(nightclubs, etc)
512 486 467 442 413
Category No. 4
(dance halls, etc)
232 216 197 187 150
Category No. 5
See Note 1
7 16 4 3 3
Category No. 6
See Note 2
4 23 3 3 3
Total 71,753 71,154 69,808 68,881 68,558
Category No. 7 26,974 26,104 25,262 24,465 23,693
Mah-jong houses 13,920 13,343 12,687 12,054 11,450
Pachinko parlors 11,800 11,722 11,576 11,392 11,178
Others 1,254 1,039 999 1,019 1,065
Category No. 8
(game centers,etc)
8,137 7,662 7,137 6,648 6,181
Note 1. A business which runs coffee shops, bars, or other facilities, and serves its cus-
tomers food and drink, and the lighting in these facilities is not brighter than ten
lux (excluding the businesses defned in Items 1 through 3).
2. A business which runs coffee shops, bars, or other facilities, and serves its cus-
tomers food and drink, and the inside of these facilities cannot be easily seen
from outside and is not more than fve square meters in size.