Japanese Police uniforms and insignia

[Lawrence]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone has any information on prewar Japanese Police uniforms and insignia? I believe the rank insignia used today is much different from that used in the early Showa era, so I'm at a loss. Thank you in advance.

[Eugen Pinak]

Google is great! Here: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Categ ... y_of_Japan

[Sewer King]

Wreckage from a shot down B-29 [fuel tank, being examined by Japanese policeman]

Like civilian police in other combatant countries, those in Japan were issued steel helmets and gas masks. What were they ordinarily armed with on duty?

Many police force uniforms worldwide are based on army styles, at least generally. But how true might this have been in Imperial Japan?

I have found nothing about it, but imagined that Japanese police would be formed up to fight the expected Allied invasion of the home islands, as had been done in Germany. There does not seem much focus in English about Japanese civil police. Although there may be things in US historical record starting from the Occupation.

-– Alan

[Peter H]

I think this was the Blood-pledge corps trial 1932

[Peter H]

February 1936---mixed army and civilian police raids

[Peter H]

More arrests 1930s

[Peter H]

1943...seized goods?

[Peter H]

From: http://showa.mainichi.jp/

Tokyo 1945

[cloudy-joe]

Police ranks
警視総監 - Superintendent-General
警視監 - Superintendent Supervisor
警視長 - Chief Superintendent
警視正 - Senior Superintendent
警視 - Police Superintendent
警部 - Police Inspector
警部補 - Assistant Police Inspector
巡査部長 - Police Sergeant
巡査 – Policeman

Police shoulder straps (at the top – for the period from February 1908 to June 1935, below - for the period from June 1935 to July 1946)

[Lawrence]

Police ranks
警視総監 - Superintendent-General
警視監 - Superintendent Supervisor
警視長 - Chief Superintendent
警視正 - Senior Superintendent
警視 - Police Superintendent
警部 - Police Inspector
警部補 - Assistant Police Inspector
巡査部長 - Police Sergeant
巡査 – Policeman

Police shoulder straps (at the top – for the period from February 1908 to June 1935, below - for the period from June 1935 to July 1946)

Thank you! That's exactly what I was looking for! And thank you to everyone who posted photos of Police uniforms. Thanks a lot.

[Lawrence]

February 1936---mixed army and civilian police raids

Excellent pictures, but I have to make a minor correction. I believe the second picture is from the 1932 May 15th incident, outside of where Inukai was murdered. If you notice the Kempei on the right is wearing a kyu-gunto sword, not the 1934 shin-gunto model, and neither the Policeman nor the Kempei are wearing winter clothes.

[Sewer King]

What were they ordinarily armed with on duty?

I found the answer from earlier here, having missed it then.

===================================

The shoulder boards of police rank are shaped like those of Imperial Russian military. Surely this is coincidental only? But if so, what might they have been originally modeled on?

-- Alan

[Peter H]

From ebay,seller cornerstoneimages

1940

[Gismo]

Is there anyone with knowledge if the Japanese Police shoulder boards pre 1935 were pointed? I have also seen pictures of pointed shoulder boards for the Police with red piping. I would have enclosed a picture but it looks like I am not permitted to do so.

[Wellgunde]

From ebay,seller cornerstoneimages 1940

The building in the background is the Wako department store at the main intersection in Tokyo's Ginza area. From 1945 to 1952 during the occupation it was the location of the Tokyo PX. Several doors down from Wako behind the officer's left shoulder was, until the early 1970's, the location of the Tokyo USO. Across the street from Wako, just out of the frame beyond the officer's left hand, is the location of the first McDonalds' restaurant in Japan.