Japanese TikTokers target police in nationwide harassment

MIE, Japan – A series of disruptive incidents has been occurring across Japan involving individuals breaking into police boxes, loudly shouting or provoking police officers before fleeing, with these acts believed to have been inspired by videos circulating on social media.Since responding to this kind of disruptive behaviour risks delaying assistance for those who truly need it, police authorities intend to take a strict stance, saying that such acts cannot be dismissed as mere pranks. They have already arrested several individuals on charges of trespassing and forcible obstruction of business.Videos posted on the video sharing app TikTok show people breaking into a building believed to be a police box, shouting and causing a commotion or dialing 110 emergency number from a public payphone and yelling “Shorinji”.In October, the Mie Prefectural Police arrested three high school students, aged 16 to 18, on suspicion of trespassing after they entered an unmanned police box in Tsu City without permission and jumped up and down on the counter.Security camera footage showed them shouting phrases such as “Shorinji-ja (It’s Shorinji)!” They reportedly told the police: “We saw a video on social media and thought we’d try it ourselves.”It is unclear what “Shorinji” refers to, but according to the prefectural police, 24 similar incidents of disruptive behaviour were confirmed in the prefecture in the span of a month starting in late September, and at least five people, including junior high school students, were taken into custody.An official from the prefectural police’s community affairs division said: “This cannot be dismissed as mere mischief. We will deal with it strictly.”In Miyagi prefecture, five high school students were referred to prosecutors in May on suspicion of violating the minor offences law, among other charges, for firing rocket fireworks at police boxes in Rifu Town and Natori City.During questioning, they reportedly said: “We wanted to make the police chase us.”This incident is believed to have been a malicious prank known as “police tag”, a game of tag where participants provoke police officers and then flee.Underlying this trend is the spread of videos depicting such disruptive behaviour on social media.It appears that some young people find it amusing and are repeatedly copying these acts.Arrests have been made in Hokkaido, and in Hyogo prefecture, even younger elementary school students were among those taken into custody.The Toyama Prefectural Police took into custody five minors in September and October for making a prank call to the 110 emergency number, shouting phrases like “It’s Shorinji”, on suspicion of violating the minor offences law for forcible obstruction of business.“These acts can delay responses to people who truly need help, and in some cases, it can be life-threatening. We urge them to stop immediately,” a Toyama prefectural police officer said.The company that operates TikTok, where the videos were posted, explained to reporters that it has strengthened its review system by adding keywords such as “Shorinji” and “police tag” to its screening criteria.“Behaviours that obstruct the work of the police or other authorities, or that could lead to crime, are not permitted. We are working to improve our review system to prevent such behaviour from being encouraged or imitated and raise awareness,” the company stated. THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK