TOKYO - Japan’s Imperial Guard Police, a little-known force tasked with protecting the Imperial Family and guarding key palace facilities, is marking its 140th anniversary this year, with attention turning to the frontline officers who train daily for emergencies and operate with what they describe as a readiness to risk their lives.
The Imperial Guard Police will hold its annual New Year review ceremony on January 23rd, an event designed to boost morale across police units nationwide as marching formations proceed in time with music. Emperor Naruhito is expected to attend, following last year’s ceremony in 2025, which was attended by the Emperor, Empress Masako, and Princess Aiko.
The organization traces its origins to 1886, when it was established under the former Imperial Household Ministry as the Imperial Guard Police Station. It later became an affiliated body of the National Police Agency and is now known as the Imperial Guard Police Headquarters. Based within the Imperial Palace grounds, it operates guard stations, which function similarly to regular police stations, at locations including the Akasaka Estate. The force has about 900 personnel.
Its core missions are to provide close protection for the Emperor, the Empress, and other members of the Imperial Family, and to secure the Imperial Palace and related facilities. Officers may accompany members of the Imperial Family on official visits to regional areas or overseas, and also provide protection during private activities such as skiing, hiking, and tennis.
The unit’s training is shaped by past incidents, including a 1975 attack in Okinawa when a firebomb was thrown during a visit by the then Crown Prince and Crown Princess, now Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko. Imperial Guard Police officers responded by evacuating the couple and managing the situation.
More recently, in 2026, a man was arrested on suspicion of public indecency near the end of the New Year’s general public greeting at the Imperial Palace. Officers quickly restrained the suspect, preventing disruption to the event’s proceedings.
Although Japan once had an Imperial Guard, the military was abolished after World War II, and the Self-Defense Forces do not play a role in protecting the Imperial Family. As a result, the Imperial Guard Police remains a rare example of a police organization serving as the primary shield for the nation’s royals.
The Imperial Guard Police continues to operate across a wide range of duties, with some of its activities occasionally visible to the public, even as much of its work remains out of sight.
Source: TBS
