Police Uniforms to be Changed, with Skirts Out; Polo Shirts, Mesh Caps Introduced to Combat Heat Stroke

The Yomiuri Shimbun

5:57 JST, March 23, 2025

Polo shirts will be introduced as police officers’ uniform to counter the heat in the summer and skirts for female officers will be discontinued, the National Police Agency said.

The NPA announced Friday that the uniforms worn by its police officers while working at police boxes and other locations will be changed from the new fiscal year. The new uniform will be tried out by Saitama Prefectural Police in May, and will then be gradually introduced at police departments across the country.

Skirts have been provided to some female police officers since the 1940s and were clearly designated as an item of uniform in 1976. However, most female police officers these days opt for pants and have been wearing skirts less and less.

The incorporation of polo shirts, which are highly breathable and dry quickly, was made in response to the recent series of heat stroke cases among uniformed police officers. There will be no major changes in color or design in the shirts.