James Annan wrote:
Well, it hasn't been yet. But it has been threatened. This is at a
Govt funded (quasi-independent, the management structure is somewhat
obscure) scientific research lab in Japan
(http://www.jamstec.go.jp/frsgc/eng/). The main goal of the lab is
the understanding and prediction of climate change, and it issues
plenty of warm fuzzy statemente about "Protecting our Mother Earth",
but when the bureaucratic chips are down, it seems that it is more
important to issue diktats and invent rules to outlaw one of the most
environmentally-friendly behaviours possible.

The real reason behind this is that my wife and I are recidivist
criminals. Yes, we ride a tandem (we both work at the same lab). It
seems that way back in the mists of time, some careless bureaucrat
drafted a law that was intended to prevent more than one person riding
on a standard bicycle, but which accidentally included tandems in the
prohibition. (Despite the law, carrying a passenger is very common,
and of course no-one enforces such a petty nonsense anyway.) Some
prefectures have actually changed the law to allow tandems, but
unfortunately not the one where we live and work.

--snip

In the UK, I would happily tell the bureaucrat to **** off, but
unfortunately workers' rights are still a rather foreign concept here
and it is clear that any foreigner who kicks up too much of a fuss
gets sent home in short order (I have already caused more than my
share of trouble, and now is definitely not a good time to start any
more). Bureaucrats aside, I like it here, and am not in a rush to
leave. But I don't take kindly to small-minded petty jobsworths
trying to push me around. Any hints and tips for a sensible strategy
will be gratefully received.

As much as I love Japan the odd bit off petty bureacracy can put you off an
entire nation. My friend once got told to cycle on the pavement not on the
road which was fun and a pal of mine practicing keepie-ups in the middle of
an empty public football pitch got told to clear off by a guy in a uniform
and hat deployed specifically for such incidents it seems.
I'd just keep riding the thing. Have a talk with your local labour office
who were very supportive when I worked in Fukuoka. If it's more then a work
issue then I have no idea what you can do other than keep riding until
forced off the bike by the self defence force.