Miyagi Man Poses as Anti-Biker Squad, Directs Traffic, Faces Charges

Fake Black Motorcycle for Traffic Control

Impersonators of the police—fake unmarked cars, fake officers, and the like—have long existed, periodically appearing and causing public concern. Recently, someone posing as a fake black motorcycle officer appeared in Miyagi Prefecture.

Some readers may not be familiar with the term black motorcycle. It refers to unmarked police motorcycles introduced to counter bosozoku (motorcycle gangs). As the name suggests, the bikes are painted black and, like white police motorcycles, are equipped with red lights and sirens.

These motorcycles are mainly used at night when bosozoku are active, operating in black to blend into the darkness for low visibility. Not all prefectural police departments nationwide have black motorcycle units; they are limited to certain prefectures. Miyagi Prefecture, where this incident occurred, does not operate black motorcycles.

As bosozoku numbers decreased compared to their peak, the police also downsized their units for gang countermeasures. However, with a nationwide resurgence of bosozoku, intensified crackdowns may resume.

The person who mimicked a black motorcycle and engaged in emergency driving, leading to formal referral to prosecutors, is a man in his 20s working in the restaurant industry in Izumi Ward, Sendai. In September, he reportedly approached a man involved in a traffic accident in his ward, claiming, “We are the Prefectural Police Bosozoku Counter Unit” and conducted traffic control.

Going back a month to August, there were multiple black motorcycle sightings around Sendai. The man allegedly performed traffic control for broken-down vehicles, turned on red lights, sounded a siren, and even drove in the opposite lane against traffic.

Concerned citizens contacted the prefectural police headquarters, which led to the man being formally referred to prosecutors.

At first glance, it’s hard to tell

This fake black motorcycle man had red lights mounted on the front, rear, and sides of his bike, and was also equipped with a siren. He even had an antenna modeled to look like a police radio antenna. However, the wiring for the red lights and other equipment was poorly done.

His outfit closely resembled that of a black motorcycle officer, complete with a shoulder patch that looked official, a reflective vest, and a traffic baton. At first glance, it was hard to tell he wasn’t real.

Surveillance cameras operated by the Sendai River and National Highway Office of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism captured him performing traffic control for a broken-down vehicle in his Izumi Ward neighborhood. The fake black motorcycle man patrolled around his home and near Sendai Station, assisting motorists with traffic control.

Images and videos of his exploits were posted on X (formerly Twitter), and many ordinary people who found his actions suspicious had recorded him. To make matters worse, the man was unlicensed.

During the investigation by the Miyagi Prefectural Police, he stated that he admired white motorcycle officers. He was of sufficient age to legitimately pursue a career as a police officer, and if he admired them that much, he could have seriously aimed for that path. But even if there were reasons for not doing so, a fake is always a fake—committing acts while posing as a police officer only ensured he would end up in police custody.