GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS 

CITY OFFICE

Here in Japan, everyone, native or not, has to register at the City Office where they reside. If you move to another city you need to re-register there. Even though I’m only temporarily in Yokohama I had to go to the local City Office, with my visa (you don’t need a visa to simply visit Japan) and officialize my arrival here.

Unlike the states, everything went quite smoothly. The government bureaucrats I dealt with were all very friendly, helpful, patient, and efficient. I had to wait in two different lines to complete the process and as I waited I watched…
The officials behind the desks took turns rotating out into the customer area where they actively looked for people that acted the least confused. Seeing such a person they approached them and provided whatever assistance that was required. They found forms, helped fill those forms out, and constantly stayed alert to those that might need help. When they were not helping a customer, I saw them doing such things as neatening up the forms area, even straightening up pens, or realigning aisle markers. No one appeared to resent what they were doing and all stayed polite and even rather cheerful.

FIREMEN

Red and ready!

There is this one particular fire station that I regularly walk past and every time that I do, whether it be early morning or evening, the firemen are either exercising or training as a group. They have a metal pole lattice structure that they use for scaling and rappelling, very cool to watch. Very easy to put your trust in these guys to do whatever might need to be done.

POLICE

Local kōban

Can’t say I’ve had much experience with the police, good, bad, or indifferent. All over the city there are small, one desk, community police stations called a kōban. I’m told that if you have the least problem, say for example, you need directions, look for the kōban. Since I’ve been doing a lot of walking around the city, I’ve been noticing that many of the kōbans are unoccupied of late. There will be a motorcycle or car parked outside but nobody inside. Can’t help but think it must be a financial thing.

Kōban logo & sign

Economical, if nothing else

An oddity(?) I’ve seen three times now, while walking, is seeing a police car, all lights flashing, waiting behind a line of cars at a traffic signal. Then, when the signal changes, none of the cars in front move aside, they simply continue forward with the police car maintaining its place in line, lights still flashing. Odd.

[Update] Since writing the above, I've learned that driving with their lights flashing is standard procedure. I've heard a few reasons for this but none seem really logical. Go figure.

Just going with the flow - lights a flashing!