In light of emergency vehicles being unable to reach victims of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has announced the addition of 10 off-road bikes to their force.
The bikes will be used in disaster relief efforts when roads are too difficult to navigate with standard police vehicles. As this is the first time off-road bikes have been used by police forces in Japan, a practice session was held in Tokyo’s Koto Ward on March 25 to mark the occasion. All 10 of the new bikes and their riders were put through a series of tests. Click on to watch the bikes and their riders in action.
Update: the video has unfortunately been removed, but we’ve tracked down a similar display of police bike skill that also features the same kind of off-roaders that the Tokyo Police Department have just added to their arsenal.
Those are some impressive riding skills! We hope the new vehicles will help to save lives and deliver precious aid if and when Japan is hit with another major disaster.
Source: Yahoo! Japan via Hachima Kikou
Image: YouTube (SankeiNews)
Japan’s National Police Agency plans to introduce fines for bike traffic violations in 2026
Yakuzen ramen restaurant in Tokyo is very different to a yakuza ramen restaurant
Tokyo Skytree turns pink for the cherry blossom season
Tokyo Station staff share their top 10 favorite ekiben
566 million yen in gold bars donated to Japanese city’s water bureau
Here comes Japan’s newest fruit dessert sandwich: 7-Eleven’s purple Blueberry Sandwich!
New zombie ship sets sail in Japan, includes Shinkansen tickets and all-you-can-eat sushi
Surprise! Terrifying new retro Godzilla movie, Godzilla -1.0, coming to Japan and U.S. this year【Video】
Japan’s bathhouse-themed bar replaces hot water with unlimited alcohol
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Japan’s official Hello Kitty Airport holds ribbon-cutting ceremony, now welcoming travelers【Pics】
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Is Sapporio’s Snow Festival awesome enough to be worth visiting even if you hate the snow? [Pics]
Japan has trams that say “sorry” while they ride around town…but why?
Sakura Totoro is here to get spring started early with adorable pouches and plushies
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Poop is in full bloom at the Unko Museums for cherry blossom season
Now is the time to visit one of Tokyo’s best off-the-beaten-path plum blossom gardens
Playing Switch 2 games with just one hand is possible thanks to Japanese peripheral maker
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Archfiend Hello Kitty appears as Sanrio launches new team-up with Yu-Gi-Oh【Pics】
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says