Most Japanese people think it’s their duty to report to the police immediately if they find someone’s wallet or mobile phone. And people who have lost something immediately report to the police what they have lost and when they think they lost it. There is then a good chance of lost items being returned to their owner.
Japan has many small local police boxes called kôban. The kôban system was created more than 100 years ago in order to maintain safety on the streets of Tokyo, and it gradually spread throughout the country. The policemen who work at kôban are generally called o-mawarisan, which is a kind of affectionate term. Their main duties are to patrol the local area, but their work includes racing to the scene of an accident or a crime and helping lost children or drunks. And if ever you are lost, remember a kôban is also the most reliable place to ask for directions!
