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The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has revealed that the number of violent acts against train station employees and train crew nationwide was 670 cases in fiscal 2018.
In a report issued on Dec 27, the ministry states that this figure is nine fewer compared to fiscal 2017, a decrease for the 4th straight year. In 375 of the incidents, the perpetrators were drunk passengers.
According to the ministry, the largest number of physical assaults occurred in Tokyo with 246 cases followed by 78 in Kanagawa Prefecture, 53 in Osaka Prefecture, 51 in Saitama Prefecture and 43 in Chiba Prefecture. Of the total, 410 incidents were reported to the police.
One of the assaults included a drunk passenger grabbing a station employee’s chest because he “felt cold,” then proceeding to steal cold-weather equipment before knocking the employee down. Another passenger reportedly became enraged when his IC card wouldn’t work at the automatic ticket gate and slapped the cheek of the attendant in charge.
© Japan Today
12 Comments
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Tom Young
It's high time Japan start punishing drunks for their behavior
Vince Black
Assaulting staff because he felt chilly. Who wants to be most of the perpetrators are “men” in their 50s and 60s.
Do the hustle
Drunken cowardly thugs picking on people who won’t or can’t fight back. TIJ!
Hercolobus
Mama’s boys and their sense of entitlements.
fupipoppy
A part of Japanese business men, especially elderly, who are suppressed every day, sometimes might make such a condescending behavior when they have drunk.
Ex_Res
Assaulting staff because he felt chilly. Who wants to be most of the perpetrators are “men” in their 50s and 60s.
I have noticed this. Pathetic little nothings.
kurisupisu
All the more reason for the provinces to become economically stronger so that Tokyo becomes less like a rat trap
juminRhee
Give ability to staff to return the favour. Slap me and I slap you. We have cameras. Try it.
juminRhee
Or better yet, citizens arrest. Hold them until police come.
KariHaruka
I would love to know what percentage of these assaults were committed by drunk salarymen and ojisans (I'm going to say at least 75%)
sir_bentley28
I think Japan should introduce harsher punishments for people committing crimes or any sort of assault under the influence of alcohol. Because you can't use "being drunk" as an excuse and expect people to be ok with it! This why they say "Drink Responsibly!"