I often hear stories like this but in roughly 6 months I've spent in Japan the only interaction I've had with police is when I initiate the interaction to ask directions, and they are always super friendly and helpful. (I'm a middle aged white guy)

Just came back from 3 weeks trip through Japan (mostly Tokyo and Kyoto). Haven't spoke to police even once.

I was going say, in the two weeks we were in Japan we were randomly stopped to have our passports checked sooo many times. Particularly in Kyoto. The plain clothes cops made me a little uncomfortable.

To be fair though in the middle of my trip the Akihabara massacre happened and visible police presence went way up after that.

My friend and I spoke the least of anyone in the group, and were actually in Akihabara at the time with no idea at all what was going on. We were there to return a camera, and we noted the place was CRAWLING with news crews. Didn’t figure it out until we got back to our friends who had been watching the news, terrified something had happened.

We were randomly passport checked before that happened however.

That's weird, I've heard that Tokyo cops do that but I've never been stopped once in eight years of living in Saitama (the prefecture just north of Tokyo). It's certainly not because I blend in, I'm cacausian and 188cm tall.

Do you think it was the bike, or your appearance? I'm a tall white guy living near a police station in Tokyo for over 2 years and I've never once been stopped by the police, but I also don't own a bike.