THIS STUDY DEMONSTRATES THAT THE JAPANESE POLICE ARE DEEPLY INTERWOVEN INTO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSLY FOSTER AND EXPECT CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AND ASSISTANCE IN CRIME PREVENTION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE DISSERTATION STARTS WITH THE WORKING HYPOTHESIS THAT DIFFERENCES IN POLICE ORGANIZATION, PRACTICES AND SUB-CULTURE, AS WELL AS POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS IN JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES, MAY BE CONSIDERED FUNCTIONAL ALTERNATIVES STEMMING FROM THE DIFFERING CULTURAL AND SOCIETAL CONTEXTS IN WHICH THE POLICE ARE FOUND. THE JAPANESE ARE STILL VILLAGERS IN AN URBANIZED AND INDUSTRIAL SETTING; THE CLOSELY-KNIT SOCIAL ORGANIZATION OF MODERN JAPANESE GROUPS (E.G. COMPANIES AND SCHOOLS) PARALLELS THAT OF TRADITIONAL FARM COMMUNITIES, AND CREATES MECHANISMS OF SOCIAL CONTROL THAT ARE EFFECTIVELY MADE USE OF BY THE POLICE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)