Japan is widely acclaimed as one of the world's safest countries, and the police contribute greatly to this outstanding national reputation. Beyond solving nearly all murders and many other crimes, the police in Japan are a familiar community presence, trusted by adults and children alike. This time on Japanology Plus, our theme is the police. Our expert guest, Masahiro Tamura, served in the police force for 36 years and is now a university professor. And in Plus One, the work of a police sketch artist.

Japan, like the rest of the developed world, has taken a serious shine to online shopping. 3.9 billion home deliveries were made in 2016 alone, and that volume doesn't show any signs of slowing down. Japan's wholehearted embrace of online shopping is fueled, in part, thanks to the country's efficient shipping infrastructure, in which next-day delivery is the norm. Hit the streets in Japan and you're bound to spot uniformed men and women delivering packages by truck, scooter, bicycle, and on foot with speed and dedication that may surprise those from other countries. But the ever-increasing number of packages is putting strain on these workers and the logistics that support them. On this edition of Japanology Plus, we take a look at the system as it exists and some of the new ideas that will be needed to keep it running in the future.