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arashitranslation
“New Rule” to return lost items
From new work year various new systems started
there was also new rule related to “lost items”.
This is the photo of American John-san several years ago
who lost his transport IC card in a street in Japan
which was returned to him from police.
In US it seems uncommon that lost items are sent to police
John-san on SNS
“Japanese・miracle”
sent this message to the world.
That the lost items can be well returned to owners
is said to be one of the strengths of Japan.
In the meantime, “3.67 billion yen”.
Speaking of what amount means
it is the total amount in cash of lost items
picked up and sent to police during the year 2016 in Tokyo
Items equivalent to three quarters of this amount were returned to the owners
as for the remaining quarter, 500 million yen of lost items were sent to the people picking them up when the owners did not
show up
and 440 million yen became the income of Tokyo-to.
In fact the lost items are increasing every year too
that the police is bothered.
The lost item centre at the Metropolitan Police Department, Tokyo・Bunkyo-ku.
This is a place gathering the lost items in Tokyo.
What comes to our view is, mountain of umbrellas…
In rainy days it is said that in average 3,300 umbrellas are sent there everyday.
In the video taken in 2007
guitar, kerosene tank.
And then crutch.
Such big hula hoop was also sent here.
During the year 2016 the lost items sent to the Metropolitan Police Department were, more than 4 million items.
The storage warehouse is as large as three tennis courts
it seems that it will become full
now, expansion work is taking place.
Such lost items
how many of them are returned to the owners?
During the year 2016 the total return rate of lost items
remained 36.5%.
Looking at the proportion of the major lost items being returned to owners
This was the statistics of 2014, as for driver’s license and mobile phone
many people came to get them back while
slightly 1.6% owners got back their handkerchiefs and
only 1% owners got back their umbrellas.
In order to, even a little bit more, return the lost items to owners
a new endeavour started.
In principle, the owners go to police station etc. for lost items
In case the owners live far away and cannot go to the police station, thus far
they send a standard request form together with a return envelop to the police station.
When this procedure is done the lost items will finally be returned to the owners.
From April 2017 onwards, this procedure can be done in one telephone call.
The owners explain the shape of the lost items and where they lost them
If it is confirmed that they are the owners,
Without sending the request form the lost items will be sent back to them.
However same as what has been the delivery cost will be cash on delivery.
By making the returning possible to be done in one telephone call
lost items that are given up by the owners who think the procedure troublesome
may be returned a little bit more.
“Is it fine to verify identity by telephone call”
there may be such queries
The police will be confirming specific information
only known by the owners
If necessary
they would be requesting submission of copy of identification cards.
In addition, the storage time for lost items will be shortened too.
According to the opinion poll conducted by the Cabinet Office
“It is fine to dispose of lost items kept for two weeks or shorter period of time”
more than 70% of respondents answered this.
The Metropolitan Police Department which thus far has been keeping lost items for about three months
urges to dispose of lost items kept for about two weeks
in consideration of reduce the amount of lost items being kept.
Source: http://www.ntv.co.jp/zero/ichimen/2017/04/post-339.html