ABSTRACT
When the American Occupation of Japan began in September 1945, the role of the Japanese police and their effectiveness as an agency of law enforcement was determined by three factors: the attitude of the Occupation authorities towards the police and their intentions with regard to reform or abolition of the prewar system; the health of the police institution in terms of both human assets — manpower, morale, confident and effective performance of duties — and physical resources — firearms, transport facilities, communications; and the disastrous economic situation in Japan following her defeat. The decision to engage in an indirect Occupation meant that the police were indispensable to the Americans, and ensured that the institution would not be radically altered until other reforms had been successfully pushed through.
