Ikebukuro Police Checking Foreigners' IDs

I noticed these police in the station doing random checks of foreign looking people's identification. I started shooting them, and they got pissed and told me that I couldn't take pictures ("Shashin wa dame!")

I held my ground, and we got into a heated debate. I told them to check their law books because I clearly understand there is no law that forbids a photojournalist from taking pictures of police. They asked me to prove I was a journalist so I gave them my business card (which says White Rabbit PRESS and also Publisher. They eventually gave up and started harassing other foreigners.

I kind of feel bad about the whole argument because I repect the police here (they're quite a relief from the sexually pent-up ex-marine macho American mentality I'm use to back in Texas). But I just think that random checks is a pretty inconsiderate and ineffective way to find illegal immigrants.

Ikebukuro is crawling with hordes of foreign prostitues--especially Chinese who have moved to places like Ikebukuro to escape police raids and other efforts to clean-up Kabukicho. Why don't they just do some undercover work because Chinese girls on the street are asking me all the time, "Massage? Sex OK!" (In Japan, you can buy and sell anything except intercourse and be on the right side of the law.)

I asked one of the officers why they were working in the station, because I'd never seem them doing this guy of thing in the station before. He said it was because it was raining outside (which was true).

For a gallery/slideshow of more photos from this series click here.