Japanese man to become police officer in New Zealand

Monday 25th August, 02:02 PM JST

AUCKLAND —

A Japanese man will become the first Japanese police officer in New Zealand, Kyodo News reported Monday. Nao Yoshimizu, 30, will join the police force in Auckland from September. According to Kyodo News, Yoshimizu was born in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, and moved to New Zealand with his family when he was 15. He has obtained a permanent resident status.

Auckland has experienced an increase in crimes targeting Asian residents, Kyodo said. Yoshimizu was quoted as saying, “I would like to become a crime buster.”

After working for his father’s car factory, he graduated from the police academy last Thursday and will be assigned to a local police station in Auckland from September.

Latest 15 of 23 Total Comments Show All

sf2k at 03:11 PM JST - 25th August

roomtemp: to hire an asian into probably a mostly white police force ensures the public trust is upheld in the face of crime against the asian community. The police force should reflect the public after all. Thus the changing face of NZ is reflected in it's laws but also those who enforce them.

for japan then, for violence against non-japanese would they consider residents who are also non-japanese? Or are residents to be forever considered non-members of the community? BTW, are there any non-asian police in Japan? With the Diet interested in getting new immigrants to Japan, a lack of diversity does not allow people to feel comfortable coming forward given the news.
badge123 at 03:27 PM JST - 25th August

It is not uncommon for many police departments, not just Japan, to not accept a non citizen/national. Even the RCMP requires members to be Canadian Citizens. So yes there could be Japanese-Canadians, but they are Canadian citizens not Japanese citizens (though I doubt there are any in the RCMP, but there could be). Do departments hire minorities elsewhere, yes, but again most cases they are citizens.

On the other topic of recruiting officers that reflect the community, in the US there's always been a problem recruiting Asian-American police officers, mainly due to historical reasons, parents coming from countries with corrupt police forces or no trust in public authority, or parents wanting them to be doctors, lawyers etc, but not police officers.
some14some at 04:34 PM JST - 25th August

Good, he left his father's factory and now employed as police officer. (better pay, i guess).
stanoue at 05:17 PM JST - 25th August

roomtemp: to hire an asian into probably a mostly white police force ensures the public trust is upheld in the face of crime against the asian community. The police force should reflect the public after all. Thus the changing face of NZ is reflected in it's laws but also those who enforce them.

A mostly white police force? Wow someone has no idea of NZ - believe it or not, its police force (and most public service areas) have a pretty representative spread of ethnicitys. Especially in customs/immigration and the police force. I am not sure why this is even news - a PR in NZ has almost equivalent status to a citizen apart from the passport & reciprocal rights in Au/UK - they can vote, serve on jury, take out a student loan, study at domestic student fees...not sure why it is news that one is now a police officer?

There is a big Asia task force police based in Auckland - and a huge Asian population. For example, 75,000 Koreans or so living in Auckland which only has a population of a million. Increase in crimes targeting Asian residents stems a lot from Asian crime gangs too - like the group of Japanese students who bashed their slightly retarded Japanese class mate and ditched his dead body. And financial fraud etc. And plenty of overstayers! Makes sense to have native speakers with an understanding of the culture for these types of crimes, no?
stanoue at 05:20 PM JST - 25th August

Hmm having re-read the start of the article I see that he is the 'first' Japanese Police Officer in NZ so I guess that might make it news? Although my friend is a cop and his mum is Japanese. Maybe the 'half-ness' of him means it doesnt count.
hoserfella at 06:31 PM JST - 25th August

roomtemperature- Its called "ironic homour", but I guess that went right over your head, didn't it?
GW at 06:32 PM JST - 25th August

roomtemp

No. Why should they? Because one Japanese guy became an officer overseas?

Why indeed that wud make Jpn look a little progressive, might even show they care about its minorities, cudnt have that now cud we, wud make Jpn look a little modern in its thinking, nah cant have that.

But boy oh boy Jpn can be proud as hell of this young man, but deaf dumb & blind when looking at things right here at home.
Damax6 at 06:52 PM JST - 25th August

gues what?? now throngs of Japanese tourist will flock NZ and hourdes of them will appear asking for photo ops and autographs...good way to bring in some tourist dollars..huh
ExPrinceska at 07:56 PM JST - 25th August

Great news, will permanent residents in Japan be considered for police jobs in Japan?

it would be great to have New Zealand men in the kobans here. I approve it. Please apply. :)
Youdontknow at 01:00 AM JST - 26th August

This could only be news in Japan where xenophobia means foreigners here with the same resident status as he has in NZ, means diddly squat here in Japan!! Japanese must feel so proud of this guy joining the cops in NZ, but in the west, we've allowed foreign nationals to join our police forces for decades! Get over yerselves Japan!
loljapan at 03:13 AM JST - 26th August

WOW,

I've always been sooo interested in police officers in New Zealand.

Thank you for the news.

loool
rajakumar at 03:52 AM JST - 26th August

This good news from New zealand and new zealand police.
zaichik at 08:18 AM JST - 26th August

I don't think there's a vast amount of crime among the (comparatively small) Japanese community here in Auckland....

Interesting that this guy is still on PR status, when he could have obtained NZ nationality years ago. Presumably he's keen to hang on to his Japanese passport.

As Stanoue said, people in NZ with PR have almost all of the rights of those with NZ citizenship (including eligibility under the reciprocal health agreements with Aus and the UK). We'll be applying for NZ citizenship just as soon as we're eligible (after 5 years as permanent residents). An NZ passport is far more convenient for international travel than a Russian one....
soldave at 09:07 AM JST - 26th August

He probably wants to keep the passport so that when he returns to Japan he's not thought of as a potential terrorist or criminal, and has his fingerprints taken.
Everton2 at 09:16 AM JST - 26th August

This is no big deal, New Zealand has quite a healthy mix of Moari in its police force, and Australia has always been very progressive having at least two from Africa and numerous others from various Asian countries.