A police or traffic patrol officer as prescribed in Article 114-4, paragraph (1) (hereinafter referred to as an "officer") may control traffic using hand signals and other signals (hereinafter referred to as "alternative signals"). On finding it to be particularly necessary to do so in order to prevent road hazards and otherwise ensure the safety and fluidity of traffic, an officer may use an alternative signal with a different meaning from that of a signal displayed by a traffic light, regardless of the signal displayed by the traffic light.
警察官又は第百十四条の四第一項に規定する交通巡視員（以下「警察官等」という。）は、手信号その他の信号（以下「手信号等」という。）により交通整理を行なうことができる。この場合において、警察官等は、道路における危険を防止し、その他交通の安全と円滑を図るため特に必要があると認めるときは、信号機の表示する信号にかかわらず、これと異なる意味を表示する手信号等をすることができる。
On finding a compelling reason to do so in order to ensure that traffic runs smoothly on a road (other than a national expressway or limited highway; the same applies in paragraph (4)) on which severe traffic congestion is likely to occur due to a severe back-up of vehicle or streetcar traffic, a police officer may prohibit or restrict vehicles or streetcars from entering a location or order the driver of a vehicle or streetcar at the location to back up or comply with different traffic rules than those prescribed in Article 8, paragraph (1), or Chapter III, Section 1, 3, or 6, but only so far as is necessary in order to reduce congestion.
On finding the measures prescribed in the preceding paragraph to be insufficient to reduce congestion at a location, a police officer may issue the necessary instructions to relevant persons at the location, but only so far as is necessary to reduce congestion.
警察官は、前項の規定による措置のみによつては、その現場における混雑を緩和することができないと認めるときは、その混雑を緩和するため必要な限度において、その現場にある関係者に対し必要な指示をすることができる。
When there is a risk that a traffic hazard will arise on a road due to road damage, an outbreak of fire, or other circumstances, and a police officer finds there to be an urgent need to prevent a hazard on that road, the officer may temporarily prohibit or restrict the passage of pedestrians, etc. or vehicles or streetcars on that road, but only to the extent necessary.
Cabinet Order provides for the meanings of alternative signals referred to in paragraph (1).