The Today Show reports on a police precinct in Nara, Western Japan, which just recruited a Chihuahua to work as a police dog. Small dogs have earned an important role on Japanese police squads. A few Japanese dog breeds, like the Akita and Shiba Inu, have grown popular across the world and can be found fairly easily through breeders in the United States. - Meet Japan’s newest police dog -- all 3 kg (6.6 lb) of her. Leonard Siffleet, who was captured in New Guinea about to be beheaded by a Japanese officer with a gunto, 1942 Credit: News Dog … This swift, powerful dog was unsurpassed in his ability to track large game including deer, elk and black bear. Momo, a 7-year old, long-haired Chihuahua passed a screening test along with 32 other doggy candidates, by finding a hidden person in less than five minutes. Japan has a long history of dog fighting, beginning in the 14th century. TOKYO (Reuters Life!) The “New Nambu” is named after Kijirō Nambu who designed it. Known as a symbol of protection, Japanese parents often receive a small statue of an Akita when their child is born. The Akita continues to be regarded as a loyal and courageous dog, and the Japanese now use the Akita as a police dog. In Japan, even the police have their own moe cute mascot characters.. While that sounds very serious, in Japan that needn’t preclude being kawaii.. According to ABC News, the four-year-old pup, who's also trained as a therapy dog for nursing homes, passed his police dog exam last month and will now work as a sniffer canine in Kyoto Prefecture, tasked with detecting drugs and explosives.. In fact, it’s also called S&W M37 (Smith & Wesson) because it so closely resembles the S&W M36. KOBE -- A police dog that went missing during a search operation in the western Japan prefecture of Hyogo was found on the morning of Oct. 27, two … The Japanese metropolitan police has a “crime deterrence measures” department. It’s double-action revolver with a .38 Special caliber based upon Smith & Wesson-style designs. An Australian POW, Sgt. The Japanese police force’s standard handgun is called New Nambu Model 60. On the island of Shikoku, the Shikoku Inu had been unequaled in the Japanese dogfighting arenas before Westerners arrived. However, most are rare and only found in Japan. Now reporting for duty in Japan: a four-pound Toy Poodle named Mochi.. The 2-year-old German Shepherd, nicknamed Kureba-go, was discovered at around 9:40 a.m. nearly 2 days after escaping on Mt. Exporting them is possible but very expensive and difficult. KOBE - A police dog that ran away during an operation to locate a missing woman on a western Japan mountain was found Tuesday after an extensive search. 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