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
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Kinotake Mother AI developed to study Japan’s divide between chocolate cookie snacks
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan has new rules for bicycle riders, and these 14 things could get you a fine or a court date
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
Do 7-Eleven Japan’s new back-to-budget-friendly-basics rice bowls make us happy?【Taste test】
How much money do you need for a studio apartment in downtown Tokyo?
New Japanese KitKats come in sakura flavour, with poetic symbolism for success
Ramen restaurant in Saitama offers handshakes for 10 yen, and much more
Fake police phone scam also highlights dumb stereotype about how foreigners speak Japanese[Video]
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japanese bento shop sells croquettes for 13 cents, but are they any good?
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
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
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
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