Sep 14, 2017
The Depth of Japan's Bureaucratic Practices
The depth of Japan's bureaucratic practices never ceases to amaze me. I just got done purchasing a car, but before I could register it and have it delivered, I had to visit the local police department to get certification that I had space in which to park it. I understand why that could be necessary in an urban center like Tokyo, but as I peer out over the vast rice fields of Niigata, I find it hard to believe that this practice is still exercised out here.
The best part of it all was when the police sent someone out to examine my property to ensure that there was enough space. The individual parked in front of my house, and she could have put two more of her cars there. Thinking that would be enough, I assumed she would just drive away, but no, she pulled out her measuring wheel and started to measure the exact dimensions of my driveway.
If you're curious just how much space there really is, check this picture out:
As I said, the depth of Japanese bureaucratic practices never ceases to amaze me.
Do you have a similarly bizarre or frustrating experience with the Japanese bureaucracy? I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below!
Hitting the books once again as a Ph.D. student in Niigata Prefecture. Although I've lived in Japan many years, life as a student in this country is a first.
Blessed Dad. Lucky Husband. Happy Gaijin (most of the time).
2 Comments
KamaT
on Sep 14
This made me laugh. I remember having to register our parking spot with the police when we were in Tokyo. Took my be surprise at the time but maybe it does make sense in an urban area, particularly as our spot was in a separate car park about 200 m from the apartment. To have to do it for your own driveway though!!! I once flew with Air Asia X to Bali from Tokyo. As an LCC they had really specific measurement limits on surfboards. It was a really random number. I kind of though they would just give the board a quick look over at check in, but no, they got the tape measure out and measured it in all dimensions. Not as odd as your parking space but another example of how they do everything by the book over here. There's no way the check in staff back home would have been bothered to do it.
genkidesuka
on Sep 14
@Tomuu man, as hectic as airports can be, I can't imagine having to sit there waiting while someone measured every dimension of your surfboard. I can imagine that happening in a movie--not in real life!