Roppongi patrol

Executive Protection Inc hires non-Japanese security guards. Got it!

Nice work if you can get it!

YET yakuza are visible around the corners.

They have absolutely no authoritative power on the street and seem to be hired to create an illusion for potentialy unruly foreigners... I think one of those toy soldiers few years back tried to tell me where i can drink my beer near conveni and I told him to leave me alone or I will call the real cops on him.

Just to educate the usual comments on here. I was in Roppo a couple of times this week, and with the presence of these guys the usual annoying, harassing African club touts were hidden out of sight. It was visibly less intimidating, especially on Roppo crossing. The touts had to stay hidden in doorways and it was quite pleasant to walk about with less hassle.

They have absolutely no authoritative power on the street and seem to be hired to create an illusion for potentialy unruly foreigners... I think one of those toy soldiers few years back tried to tell me where i can drink my beer near conveni and I told him to leave me alone or I will call the real cops on him.

Read my post above. And to be honest, who needs people like that drinking on the street and getting all arrogant with others.

Educator, my assumption would be that it is sponsored by the likes of Mori or Mitsui real estate to keep their new Roppongi clean. My guess is that they do have some kind of jurisdiction or threat over the club touts, otherwise why were the touts keeping such a low profile. There is a whole new building going up where Paddy Foley's used to be, more investment, and when Midtown was being constructed they did the same cleanup on the Private Eyes side of town (the end of Private Eyes and One Eyed Jacks).

We shouldn't complain about keeping the touts quiet, but the new Roppongi is not the same as the old one.

Roppongi sucks. Touts have ruined it long ago. Never was fond of Roppongi.

These "security" see them every week just hanging at the intersection. They should patrol more up and down the streets because that's where you'll see the touts in full force, not at the intersection.

Useless from what I've seen thus far.

Alex Einz:

They have absolutely no authoritative power on the street...

They do. Japan has, like many other countries, a law of Citizen's Arrest, under which they (or any citizen) can arrest and hold criminal(s) until police arrives if they witness a crime.

The Code of Criminal Procedure (Section 213) says:

現行犯人は、何人でも、逮捕状なくしてこれを逮捕することが出来る。(刑事訴訟法第213条)

We shouldn't complain about keeping the touts quiet, but the new Roppongi is not the same as the old one.

"Old" Roppongi was absolutely wonderful. Dodgy and sleazy of course, but a great place for a night out. I had some amazing times there with friends. "New" Roppongi is soulless and dull, like so much of Tokyo now. Shame.

Good. I welcome any help to keep thugs at bay! I stopped going to Ropppngi years ago because of jerks there, even though there are several restaurants I like. Maybe I'll go back, IF it is very safe.

I'm not sure what these "Security Guards" are doing, perhaps an advertisement for the Services of the Company that they work for ?

I tend to agree with "Alfie Noakes", Roppongi does appear to have lost it's wayward character, or maybe, we've just grown older and have changed our perception upon things ?

I'd like to see an article about area's "Character" within Tokyo, and perhaps other places around the Country. And, not just focusing upon the Thursday/Friday after business night-life, but looking at too what happens over the weekend, and National Holidays.

drinking a beer on a street is legal in Japan, if you have a problem with that, go back to your country.

i dont care what they do, as long as they dont feel like they actually can tell people what to do, oh and citizen arrest has absolutely nothing to do with telling people how to behave.

oh and they do not interact with African touts, the lesser presence of those is due to police vigilance.

is roppo so unsafe? i thought it was an upmarket area?