Anti-terrorism drill in Tokyo

Nice pic, looks like a scene from some Action Movie, free entertainment for the spectators (whatever may be Govt purpose)!

These are specially trained police, right? Not the koban cops who run at the sight of a knife? Have they ever trained with ordinary citizens meandering through the drill rather than safely off to one side? Stopping a hooligan as he or she is running through a crowd shooting people at random might be - I wouldn't know from experience - more difficult than if the hooligan is alone.

borscht

Japanese drills/exercises of this kind are completely scripted to the last detail. There are no variables and no room for real-time reaction so no one (individual or process) is actually being tested. These drills aren't really drills at all but are more displays or parades with little to no training value, only familiarization for the public and PR value. Probably one of the biggest issues we in the US military have when conducting joint 'training' with the Japanese SDF, Police, Fire, etc.

People can nitpick all they want, but at least police officers in Japan are doing something about potential terrorists and natural disasters. I've seen other drills involving earthquakes, etc. etc. When's the last time any of you saw police conducting anti terror drills or drills of any sort in your city or municipality? I bet it's a big goose egg, as I thought. So again at least they are making an effort here.

rjd_jr: I think you miss the points of the previous posters. The reason these events are a regular part of the media show in Japan is that they are publicity. In many countries these exercises take place without the fanfare because they are truly training and can be volatile. So, just because the event is being presented us in the manner we see above, don't assume that something is being done, it is seeming to be done. Form over susbtance once again.

The publicity IS the point blvtzpk. It's good practice to let the world know that you are taking steps to combat terrorism, to put out to the world that you are taking terrorism seriously. That sends a message. And I haven't heard anything like this being done in my area because, well, it isn't being done. It's only being "done" when the terrorists strike.

Everyday training doesn't get press releases in other countries. This is govt spin for the masses. Witness the responses at Kobe or Tokyo sarin attack for real responses. Pathetically lacking.

the dog seems well trained

Laughably pathetic. No one cares about you Japan, no -one cares!

several interesting things the cop covering the perp is that 6 shooter hes got? who uses them anymore except dirty harry? also if this perp

premise that terrorists armed with bombs and guns

has guns and bombs where are they how did the police disarm him from these guns and bombs and very few police for a group of terrorists armed with guns and bombs. i guess the guy stood there until arrested and put to the ground. no realism rather pathetic

Yeah, scripted all the way from what I saw on NHK and I'm with USNinjapan this, as it presents nothing other than role-play. 'you run over there, I'll fire three shots, you shout Bakkayaro! Then the dog comes, OK?' 'And then run over there'. Silly stuff...

Yeah, the answer to protecting the public after the sarin gas attack was to remove all the trash bin. Very proactive!!

come on people, don’t be so upset in whatever they do! At least they try. it is better than nothing, right?

thedeath

no, it's the SAME as nothing...that's the point

Japanese Police, one word: kakuwaruii!

of course it's all scripted, its a demo drill conducted in a civilian area. The more dramatic stuff goes on behind the scenes like any other agency around the world. Same with the once a year fire and earthquake drills to remind people of potential danger.

The only participant who can be trusted is probably the dog. Just out of interest, I point everybody's attention to the revolver being pointed by the cop. The weapon in question is so outdated it is a joke. Where police overseas use automatic pistols (like Glocks), the locals are using weapons 40 years out of date.

Why is everyone so critical of this exercise whether for publicity sake or not? Not training or performing drills at all would be a mistake, you need to establish some form of protocol. Why do US Marines or army march in synchronization? Is there no value in that?

To Timorborder

Where police overseas use automatic pistols (like Glocks), the locals are using weapons 40 years out of date.

That photo bothers me b/c the gun is obsolete professionally. I was talking to a firearms expert who didn't like plastic guns for lack of "stopping power". I agreed, but w/ hotloads, the Glock like pistols are lighter and only needed special ammo to be superior. What bothers me is, if that gun in the photo is standard issue to the police, very likely it is standard issue in the SDF. Defense Minister Ishiba better get w/ the program, plastic guns are much lighter and WEIGHT is critical for the GSDF. I strongly advise the SDF to immediately switch over to plastic guns NOW.

The 'terrorist' here appears to be Japanese - so at least, statistically speaking, that's accurate...

thedeath

It's actually worse than nothing because they put a lot of (misdirected) time and energy into these public shows which would be better spent conducting random unscripted drills from which they could actually learn something instead of worrying about just looking professional and competent in front of the cameras.

cwhite

These demo drills sadly make up 90%+ of their regular training. Even when we try to get them to conduct real drills/exercises they insist on presetting most of the details and focus almost completely on whether the paricipants will act according to the plan and follow the script. The point of drills like these is to let your responders react to simulated scenarios as they would to an actual emergency and see if their actions differ from standard procedure. Very little is gained from 'performances' of this sort.

Seems the police learned their moves from watching diehard movies, these days they just blow themselves up. I would hope Japan would not let any terrorist get to this stage and would have some good intelligence before the event.

Sorry, but I don't think this was a drill at all. This poor guy was simply trying to remove his money from Shin Genko bank, and Ishihara decided to make an example of him. And they did it at lunch time so all the other TMG employees would get the message.

typo ... GInko. Sorry. I falied high school typing.

OK, fair enough...so they need proper weapons and unrehearsed drills. very funny on the Shin Ginko..

Genko...? Like it. How'z about Shin Genkohan 'a caught in the act crime'? That's sounds like Shin kun all over.

While the Glock may be looked upon as a Plastic sort of gun. You should realize a lot of city police officers in the USA & Canada---this is the gun they use in 9mm.

So probably a good gun for the Japanese Police Depts as well.

Personally I like an all metal gun & 45ACP caliber, but then I am just a target shooter at our Club here in this part of Canada.

That guy has a 6 shooter!! hahaha!!!!!

Timorborder and nisegaijin,

There's nothing wrong with a revolver. It works like it's supposed to. A 9mm, .38, .40 caliber round coming out of a revolver will exit just as fast and inflict just as much damage as it will coming out of a Glock, or any other auto. The only advantage with autos are the size and weight. They are slimmer - and therefore easier to conceal - than revolvers, and the "plastic" guns are lighter. An all-steel 1911A is still quite heavy.

Here in Tennessee, licensed civilians like myself can carry open or concealed. I carry an alloy-frame Sig Sauer auto in .45ACP. My dad carries a Smith and Wesson revolver, also in .45ACP. Which of us would you rather try to carjack? See what I mean?

"I carry an alloy-frame Sig Sauer auto in .45ACP. My dad carries a Smith and Wesson revolver, also in .45ACP."

I was unaware that revolvers could be chambered for non-rimmed auto rounds. How does the cartridge sit in the wheel? Furthermore, even if this is possible, why would anyone opt for 45acp on a gun that could take 357mag/44mag rounds?

"I strongly advise the SDF to immediately switch over to plastic guns NOW."

The current JGSDF issue is Sig 220 and 226. Having fired both of them as well as Glocks, I wouldn't trade any SIG for a Glock.

OssanULTRA:

I was unaware that revolvers could be chambered for non-rimmed auto rounds. How does the cartridge sit in the wheel? Furthermore, even if this is possible, why would anyone opt for 45acp on a gun that could take 357mag/44mag rounds?

I haven't had a look at my dad's revolver yet, but he has promised me a chance to shoot it next time we can get some free time. As far as why he chose that round instead of getting a .357 or .44 in the same frame, it's probably because the .45ACP is known for superior "knock-down" compared to the magnum rounds. Also, the recoil is more manageable (Unless you shoot a less powerful hand-load, and then what's the point of carrying a magnum if you're going to do that?). Since the point is to knock a bad guy down and not penetrate through him to hit an innocent person in the background, the .45 is a good call.

I wouldn't trade any SIG for a Glock.

Me either. My Sigs, even the P230, fire any brand of ammo I put in them, every time, without fail. Simply the best out-of-the-box guns available, in my opinion.

The training they are doing is a MUST for the safety of all. The make, model or caliber of the gun is not that important bar is it proven to be what other police forces use & trust.

True I like an all metal gun like in my S&W revolvers of 38Spl, to Browning Hi-Power & CZ-75 of 9mm, but have so much trust in my Browning Action 45ACP custom-made semi-auto. Mind you I am only a target shooter.

Also our gun range is used by the regularly RCMP to Sheriff's Dept, to the Emergencie Response Team of the RCMP so I know about what they use along with the continual training as they are the RCMP Cdn version of the American SWAT teams.

They should practice preventing suicide bombings using real al Qaida terrorists while being able to go through the immigration despite the finger scan.

This is just an American style publicity stunt, and in terms of worthwhileness amounts to nose drip! Japanese society is so exclusive and race conscious it would be difficult for any terrorist to operate without being noticed. One can attract the attention of the authorities for simply riding a push bike the wrong way up the street. I say i is unlikely to happen in Japan unless it is exclusively home grown, and will not be about Islamic terrorism but more about some local issue emanating from the far left or right teachings of a fringe group. And this extensive analysis here of the weapons used in the image is just boring, who cares! This has nothing to with safety and well be a recruiting drive for the security forces who are essentially well down on its numbers.

The assumption that something terrible will not happen in Japan is like believing you can J-Walk on a busy street & not be injured.

Training is a must to all of us. Some yrs ago the RCMP in my area asked to use our indoor range, Clubhouse & outdoor range itself. I agreed in giving them the okay for a few days that we, as members, would not be there to look on.

Then asked if I had a rubber knife they could borrow from me. The one safe item they did not have while h/guns & such would not be real. Seems someone supplied them with a rubber knife.

They use their real sidearms to rifles & shotguns when doing regular training outdoors, but this was someindoor defensive training.

This is a practice for a false flag operation.

"Japanese society is so exclusive and race conscious it would be difficult for any terrorist to operate without being noticed. One can attract the attention of the authorities for simply riding a push bike the wrong way up the street."

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/30/japan.alqaeda/index.html