Japanese police uniforms

[ben_issacs]

Folks, 

The present day Japanese police uniforms are basically similar to many police uniforms around the world, peaked cap, jacket, trousers, all in blue.

And the model N scale police figures are in this pattern.

But, when I first visited Japan, in the late 1970's, the police were uniformed very differently.

Probably as a result of the American occupation after the war, the police uniform was basically identical with that of the U.S. Army Military Police, but in light  grey.

Tunic, open necked with shirt and tie, trousers tucked into lace up gaiters, black army boots. 

The head gear was the U.S. Army pot style steel helmet, or possibly the plastic helmet liner, of the same shape.

A web waist belt carried a pouch for handcuffs and another for the pistol ammunition, also a night stick (baton).

The pistol carried was the Colt M 1911 0.45 inch automatic pistol, somewhat of a cannon.

I would think that if the ordinary Japanese officer of the time, of small stature, fired this gun, the recoil would drive him backwards about 4 feet.

What's this to do with N scale layouts?

Well if one is modelling Japanese railways in say the 1970's (I don't know when the uniform changed) and one wanted to show a police officer, one would have to get an N scale U.S. Army M.P. and repaint it into the grey.

Also, we did a bit of car travelling there, and often found when entering a small village, on the roadside facing the traffic would be a full size 3 dimensional model of a grey clad police officer, I think saluting. 

Entering one village, the dummy officer was not three dimensional, but  a hardboard cut out, that village must have been too poor to afford the plastic one!

So, something to stick on your 1970's village road. 

Regards, 

Bill, 

Melbourne.

 

[bill937ca]

Wikipedia article on Japanese Policeman.

 

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/日本の警察官

 

Translate with Google translate or similar application.

 

Photos of police uniforms

 

https://www.google.ca/search?q=警察の制服&num=100&safe=off&rlz=1C1GCEA_enCA749CA749&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjNzfG1woLfAhVRS6wKHdavD5sQ_AUIDigB&biw=1360&bih=626

[ben_issacs]

Folks, 

None of those shots show the grey M.P. pattern uniforms, unfortunately.

But, they did exist.

Perhaps one of our Japanese readers might have some idea of when the changeover to the present uniform was made.

 During a visit to Japan we were standing at an intersection, along with several Japanese pedestrians, and on duty was a policeman with a microphone and a small transmitter on his back.

The intersection had loud speakers mounted at the corners, and the policeman was  using his system to broadcast  commands, comments and exhortations through the speakers to us waiting folk.

He was having the time of his life with this gadget!

Regards, 

Bill,

Melbourne.

 

[kvp]

26 minutes ago, ben_issacs said:

 

None of those shots show the grey M.P. pattern uniforms, unfortunately.

But, they did exist.

I'm pretty sure in the 1980ies they already had the dark blue uniforms. Also the only hardhat and boots wearing officers i've seen on photos and films were traffic police with motorcycles.