On Tue, 7 Jul 1998, Shigeryu@aol.com wrote:

How does the police system in Japan work?  I need to know for one of my
fanfics.

	I'm not sure if this is write, but when I was in Japan, I remember 

hearing

something about cops not alout to have guns... well, some... please correct me
if I'm wrong!

	Actually as I understand it the cops do have guns, it's just that the 
rules on when their useage is justified are so stringent that any cop who ever 
fires his gun has almost certainly lost all hope for promotion and will 
probably be severely penaltised in some way as well.  I could have misheard it 
of course.