Shortly after the TMPD ESU was disbanded, the Guard Section (防護課,Bougo-ka) was created for the same role. In 1948, this unit was reinforced to the Police Reserve Units (予備隊,Yobi-tai).[4] In addition, similar but smaller-scale riot squads were created in several other prefectures to deal with post-war turmoil. In 1952, under the direction of the National Rural Police Headquarters (国家地方警察本部,Kokka-chihō-keisatsu Honbu), the Riot Police Units were created with 20 prefectures with large cities. In 1957, the TMPD Reserve Units were renamed the Riot Police Unit. By 1962, all PPHs had the same kind of units.[5]
Riot Police Units comprise the main strength of the Security Departments (警備部,Keibi-bu) of each prefectural police headquarters (PPHs). Most PPHs have only one unit, but some urban PPHs have multiple units. For example, there are ten units (nine ordinary units and one Special Vehicle Unit) in the TMPD.[6]
Each unit consists of a headquarters and somecompanies.[7] Thepublic relations divisions, known as "DJ cops", are placed in each unit headquarters. They rely on eloquent and humorous speaking to preventcrowd disasters.[8]
The equipment of the anti-riot officers is largely the same as that of regular police officers. However, equipment used inriot control operations, such as protective gear, may differ. And within the Riot Police Units, there are certain squads with specific equipment and training.
As a response tothe Kin Kiro Incident, the NPA requested the establishment of theSpecial Firearms Squad (特殊銃隊,Tokushujū-tai) for every PPHs in 1969, and until 1973, all PPHs had these kind of squads as a part of the Riot Police Units.[9]
Its current strength is about 1,900 officers.[1] They are mainly mandated forgun violence, and also serve asfirst responders for emergency situations at nuclear power plants.[2] Certain units with enhanced capabilities are established in urban prefectures, such as the Emergency Response Team (ERT) of the TMPD,[12][13] the Armed Response Team (ART) of theOsaka PPH,[14][15] and theRiot And Tactics Squad (RATS) of theSaitama PPH.[16]
Technical rescue squads equipped withHeavy rescue vehicles.[1] Ordinary rescue squads are part-time units, but in the Security Bureau of the TMPD (outside of its Riot Police Units), there is also Special Rescue Team (特殊救助隊,Tokushu-kyūjo-tai), the only full-time rescue team in Japanese police.[18]
In 2001, the TMPD reorganized its Ranger squad into the Mountain-rescue ranger (山岳救助レンジャー,Sangaku-kyūjo-renjā) and the Anti-firearms ranger (銃器対策レンジャー,Jūki-taisaku-renjā), combines firearms and mountaineering capability.[20]
Also, as non-permanent units prepared for large scale disasters, the Interprefectural emergency rescue units (広域緊急援助隊,Kouiki-kinkyū-enjotai) have been established based on the lesson of theGreat Hanshin earthquake. Members of these units work mainly in Riot Police Units or Regional Riot Police Units during peacetime, but they regularly gather and train in preparation for disasters.[1]
Full-time riot police units can also be augmented byauxiliary riot police units with regular police officers trained in riot duties. There are two types of auxiliary riot police units:
Secondary Riot Police Units (第二機動隊,Dai-Ni-Kidō-tai)
These units operate as a reserve duty forces under control of each PPH, temporary formation units being organized by gathering police officers who usually work at police stations. In the TMPD, these kind of units are referred to as the Special Riot Police Units (特別機動隊,Tokubetsu-Kidō-tai).[6]
Regional Riot Police Units (管区機動隊,Kanku-Kidō-tai)
These units are under control of Regional Police Bureaus of the NPA for regional operations as reinforcements to the other prefectures.[5] In many prefectures, they are part-time units organized by members selected from the front-line units of each PPHs, such as inter-regional patrol units or mobile investigation units; but in some prefectures, they are full-time units and usually deployed in the same way as regular Riot police units under the command of each PPHs. Even though they are reserves, they are well equipped and trained not much different from regular units according to the national standards of the NPA.
Some of theInternational Workers' Day protesters were incited byZengakuren andChōren, causing riots. As a result, some of the TMPD Reserve Units members were forced to use pistols because of the frequent occurrence of violent acts, such as burning foreigners' cars and throwing policemen into the moat.[21]
Many Riot Police Units were dispatched from other police headquarters because of the large-scale flood damage.[22] In particular, the Second Riot Police Unit of the TMPD were highly appreciated, and became known as "Kappa".
At the University of Tokyo, the student movement had been intensifying since 1968, triggered by a demand for improvement in the treatment ofinternships at the Faculty of Medicine. Then, with the left-wing rebel groups joined this movement to find allies for theAnpo protests,[5] they stood up in the school buildings and brought in weapons such asMolotov cocktails. With university officials unable to deescalate the incident, TMPD Riot Police Units were deployed to retake the occupied school buildings.[23]
TheUnited Red Army had been trained in the mountains, but was discovered by the Riot Police Unit of the Nagano PPH, turned into a gunfight and held hostage. After a 10-day siege, Nagano PPH, with the support of TMPD, Kanagawa and Yamanashi PPH, carried out a rescue operation. The criminals fired guns, threw bombs and violently resisted, while oneSuperintendent and oneChief inspector of the TMPD Riot Police Unit were killed and many police officers were injured, but all five criminals were arrested and the hostage was also rescued safely.[24]
In response to the massive damage caused by the tsunami, the Police mobilized Riot Police Units, Regional Riot Police Units and Interprefectural emergency rescue units in an effort to rescue them. And as thereaction to Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, Riot Police Units conducted evacuation guidance for the elderly and patients, and also carried out water discharge to the reactor building and measured the air radiation dose.[25]
National Police Agency, ed. (2004)."The Riot Police Units".Syōten (焦点) (in Japanese). No. 269. National Police Agency.
National Police Agency, ed. (2009). "IV. Maintenance of Public Safety and Disaster Countermeasures".White Paper 2009(PDF). National Police Agency.Archived(PDF) from the original on 23 March 2011.
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