There were a few on their balconies looking down at the scene, but none inclined to get close.
“Well, at least we should call the police.”
“They’re on their way. Any of these people can give them the message more quickly, and more accurately, than I can. I don’t even know what number to call.” Sure enough, the police arrived as I was speaking. “There’s a police box every few hundred metres in Japan. They’re never far away, and always quick to arrive.” The second car pulled up, all black, lights on the roof, and white writing down the side advertising their authority and behind it, a bike. I keep hearing about shirobaiku, literally ‘white bike’ that the police are famous for, but I’ve never seen one. Usually they ride what look to me like black postman’s bikes. Apparently the shirobaiku are only used on the highways to pull over speeding cars. Perhaps they’d catch some of the bousouzoku if they used them in the cities.