Lost Items, Not Wasted—Including Brand-name Goods and Rare Cards. What is the Metropolitan Police Department's "Lost Property Center" Bulk Sale?

1. Why Are There So Many "Lost Items" in Tokyo? Latest Figures and "Points" vs. "Cases"

In Tokyo, which boasts one of Japan's highest population densities and traffic volumes, the scale of lost items is also extraordinary. According to a report by Jiji Press, about 4.756 million items were reported to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department in 2024, marking a record high. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police Department's statistics page refers to **approximately 4.4 million "cases" in Reiwa 6 (2024)**. The difference between "points" in the article and "cases" in the official statistics may be due to differences in aggregation units (number of items vs. number of cases), and this article references these figures to grasp numerical trends.ExciteMetropolitan Police Department

Reference: About 30% of lost items are returned to their owners. If the finder does not claim rights to items that were not returned, they become the property of the city and are subject to reuse.X (formerly Twitter)

2. Basic Legal Knowledge: 3-Month Rule / Finder's Rights / Exceptional Items

The handling of lost items in Japan is based on the "Lost Property Act." If the owner is not found, the finder gains ownership rights after a principle period of 3 months of storage and public announcement (and must claim it within 2 months). However, if the finder waives their rights, the item becomes the property of the prefecture (in Tokyo, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government). Notably, items containing personal information, such as mobile phones and ID cards, are exceptions where the finder cannot obtain ownership even after 3 months.Metropolitan Police Department+2Metropolitan Police Department+2e-Gov Law Search

Reward Money: If returned to the owner, a system allows the finder to receive a reward of **5-20%** (subject to individual circumstances, so check with the police).Nagoya International Center

3. Practical Flow: Stations and Commercial Facilities → Police Stations and Lost Property Centers → Bulk Sale

Lost items found in railways and commercial facilities are consolidated at the Lost Property Center of the Metropolitan Police Department after a certain period (e.g., Tokyo Metro stores unclaimed items at the Iidabashi Center before handing them over to the Lost Property Center of the Metropolitan Police Department). This central hub serves as the "starting point" for handing over items that have become the property of Tokyo to contracted businesses.Tokyo Metro

According to a Jiji Press article, the purchase price in bulk contracts is uniformly "117 yen per item". Regardless of value, items are accepted at the same price and sold at department store "Lost and Found Markets" or online auctions. Unbranded items with little domestic demand are exported to countries like the Philippines. Due to the labor costs involved in collection and sorting, it is reported that this is not a business expecting high profits.Jiji Press News

Saitama Prefecture's PX Corporation, reported as a bulk sale handler, has a Reuse Division that regularly sells lost and found items from railways, maintaining inventory in warehouses while also selling at department store events and online.px-home.comPX-GROUP

4. What Gets Sold?—From "Rare Cards" to Luxury Brands and Musical Instruments

Reports mention examples such as expensive musical instruments like saxophones, latest model home appliances, and trendy fashion items, as well as limited edition Pokémon cards that can fetch prices exceeding 1 million yen. Everyday items like wireless earphones and umbrellas are staples, and items that appear to be "just lost," such as unused luxury brand goods or new toilet paper, can also be found. Department store events are reported to be bustling, with about 200 people lining up before opening.Jiji Press News

5. The Meaning of "Not Wasting": Resource Circulation, Public Interest, Transparency

(1) Resource Circulation: By returning items that might otherwise be discarded to the market, environmental impact and disposal costs are reduced. (2) Public Interest: The redistribution of items that have become city property contributes to the efficient use of limited administrative resources. (3) Transparency: By visualizing the processing flow (through public relations, events, and official information dissemination), trust in the system is enhanced. The difference in numerical representation ("points" vs. "cases") remains, so interpreting statistics and checking the latest data are continuously necessary.Metropolitan Police DepartmentExcite

6. Practical Guide for Foreigners: When You Lose or Find Something

6-1 When You Lose Something (Owner)

• Report to the nearest police box or station, or use the Metropolitan Police Department's online guidance or English page. Basic English guidance (Lost & Found) is compiled on the Metropolitan Police Department's website.Metropolitan Police Department

• If you might have lost it on a train, inquire at each company's Lost & Found Center. For example, Tokyo Metro stores items at the Iidabashi Center for 3-4 days before unclaimed items are sent to the Metropolitan Police Department.Tokyo Metro

• The deadline is 3 months. If you do not claim it within 3 months from the date of acceptance, you will lose ownership rights, so check and proceed early.Metropolitan Police Department

6-2 When You Find Something (Finder)

• Always report to a police box or station. Instead of spreading it on social media, report it through official channels, as per Japanese rules (the Metropolitan Police Department also issues warnings via videos).YouTube

• If the owner is not identified after 3 months, the finder gains ownership rights (and must claim it within 2 months). However, mobile phones and ID cards are exceptions, and ownership rights cannot be obtained.Metropolitan Police Department+2Metropolitan Police Department+2

• If returned to the owner, there is a system for **reward money (5-20%)** depending on the situation.Nagoya International Center

7. Cultural Comparison: Why Is the "Return" Rate High in Japan?

In Japan, there is a custom of properly delivering found items, and a well-established information "hub" through close collaboration between police boxes, police, and transportation operators. In Tokyo, the L&F Centers of railway companies and the Lost Property Center of the Metropolitan Police Department fill temporal and geographical gaps, supplemented by online searches and English guidance. This combination supports an internationally high standard "return society" with a return rate of around 30%.Tokyo Metro##