Photo: PAKUTASO
crime

How to apprehend a 'chikan' and protect women from being groped on a train

97 Comments
By SoraNews24

In Japan, sexual harassment on trains is a problem that refuses to go away, in spite of specially created pins, stamps, and women-only carriages that attempt to stop chikan, the Japanese word for a man who gropes women on trains.

The overwhelming majority of victims are women, and in many cases it’s schoolgirls who are suffering. And as the government is yet to tackle the problem with a much-needed awareness campaign to educate fellow commuters on how to act when they see a chikan in the act, the general public is left to come up with their own solutions on what to do in these situations.

One person currently drawing attention with a useful guide on how to stop a chikan in their tracks is Twitter user @keizi666, who’s seen and stopped chikan on trains in the past. Drawing on his own experiences, he recently created a thread that went viral on Twitter, with a series of bullet points containing advice on how to safely apprehend a chikan on a train and prevent them from groping again.

The main tweets are listed below.

How to stay calm and act to apprehend a chikan when you see them groping.

Covertly take a photo or video of them at the scene

● Be sure to capture their face in the photo or video

● Be sure you have multiple men on side to help secure the culprit

● Grasp the culprit’s belt and both their arms from behind when apprehending them

● Grab their smartphone and don’t give it back to them

● Because a case cannot be filed without the victim, ask the victim to stay with you. It will be good if a female can help to care for the victim

● Call the station staff and get the police to come

● Be sure to hand them over to police to prevent them offending again

● Firmly reprimand them using a loud voice. Listen to what they say

● Ignore excuses from the culprit

● Let’s forget about the inconvenience of being late for school or work for the time being

● Secure the offender firmly, taking into consideration that they may escape on the railway tracks

● Pat the outside of pockets to check for the presence of weapons

"Please simulate the scenario on a regular basis. If groping suddenly occurs in front of you, you will be taken aback and upset so you won’t be able to move properly.

It’s important to anticipate that these things may happen. It’s difficult to secure an adult man alone. Ask people around you to help. Let’s cooperate if asked.

"Please spread the above information. After reading, please be on alert for these things on a day-to-day basis. You may be the one to notice something happening first, or you may be asked to help someone. Men, hold culprits with force and women, take care of the victims and accompany them.

Let’s reduce the number of gropers and upskirt photographers."

@keizi666 went on to reiterate the importance of securing photographic or video evidence of the perpetrator committing the act to totally eliminate the risk of false accusations. They also went on to say it’s imperative that men take the initiative to apprehend perpetrators and ask those around them to help. If asked, people need to step up and lend a hand, pushing aside concerns related to inconvenience and being late to work, because the more people who cooperate and help to apprehend a culprit, the less chance there will be accusations of false charges.

The one thing they wanted to stress more than anything is the fact that it’s important to consider what to do before any situation arises, because if you haven’t pre-formulated a plan you won’t be able to act swiftly when you do see something happening. And then you’ll be left with a feeling of regret for a long time afterwards.

People online responded positively to @keizi666’s tweets, sending them viral with over 100,000 likes and 50,000 retweets. The topic attracted a huge amount of attention, with many comments highlighting just how big a problem this is for Japanese society.

“I apprehended a chikan on two occasions in the past and handed them over to police. Even though I called out to people around me, nobody moved. What a cold world we live in. I hate people who turn a blind eye to things.”

“One time, an older man helped me apprehend a chikan. He got him from the front and I held onto him from the back. If it was just me on my own, he would’ve run off and escaped.”

“I thought chikan only operated on crowded trains but I’ve seen them on empty ones too. No matter how minor the offence may seem, we must always stop to help.”

“We should always act if we see something. People who say they don’t intervene because they’re worried about false accusations are people looking for an excuse to turn a blind eye to things.”

“It’s important that men get involved because when a man confronts a male chikan it’s far more effective than a woman trying to defend herself.”

“I’m so moved by all of this. As a mother of a teenage girl, I’m so grateful there are good men who will help women when they’re in trouble.”

While the problem of groping directly affects women, it’s not solely a women’s issue, and it’s heartening to see the comments reflecting that. It’s something that affects us all, and no matter how difficult it may be to follow the recommendations listed above to the letter, @keizi666’s Twitter thread highlights the importance of working together to help solve the problem and stop these crimes from occurring.

So next time you see something, do something, and if @keizi666’s tweets have spread far enough, there’s a good chance people around us will have the courage to step in to help too.

If not, there’ll still be people tripping suspects on station platforms like this man, who raised a leg to send another man flying when he saw him being chased by two schoolgirls at Akabane Station in Tokyo last year.

Source: Twitter/@keizi666 via Hachima Kiko

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

-- Japanese Internet sad to see the word “chikan” becoming commonly used in English

-- “Women who attract chikan, and women who don’t”: The illustrated guide that’s provoking debate

-- Japanese company offers insurance plan to protect against false train groping accusations

© SoraNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

97 Comments
Login to comment

According to an anti 'chickan' groper organization in Osaka most gropers are repeat offenders giving the impression that a much higher number of Japanese males are - that is not the case.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I’ve witnessed crimes here several times but never interfered.

I have alerted station staff and police though.

They usually look at me as if they have heard it all many times before...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@lostrune2

awesome movie and a classic line but ... Matthew Mcconaughey,s character is not a creepy middle aged man... gotta put things within context ...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Henny Penny

I cycled past the murder scene on a fairly regular basis. The detective who questioned me had absolutely no interest in my status as a foreign national. The questioning was short and to the point. Everyone passing the murder scene was being questioned.

@Henny Penny there are occasions they stopped you because they are interested to find out whether you know something happened in that area. Also there are occasions they stop and ask you for hours because they are want to check on you, like they did to @Do the hustle

@Do the hustle

However, I was held and interrogated for two hours while they checked my visa status, called the school I worked at, called my ex-wife and treated me like the criminal.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It's an app from the Tokyo Police (I believe). You can find it in your smartphone's app store by searching DigiPolice.

It has some advice for what to do when you're in trouble. It also has the function I mentioned above, which plays a woman's voice saying 「やめてください!」 if you want to discretely tell chikan to stop touching you.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What is the Digi Police app?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I have that Digi Police App on my phone. When I saw a chikan feeling up a girl, I got a bit closer, turned the volume up on my phone and spammed the やめてください! button. The pervert quickly moved on after hearing a woman's voice repeatedly telling him to stop.

I thought it was a stealthy way to help the situation. Since everyone is using their phones anyway, you blend right in and don't cause unnecessary fuss.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Badman

Champions is a gaijin hangout, I think you would have had a different experience in a Japanese bar.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Not all Chikan are Japanese. I was at Bar Champion in Golden Gai Shinjuku. It was quite crowded and a girl I was talking to shrieked. I asked her what happened and she point out a guy who grabbed her crotch. I confronted him and let him know I was watching him and if he did it again, he would be sorry. He was Aussie, drunk and blew me off. Some time later he was passing us in very tight quarters and I witnessed him do it this time. I sent him to the hospital and the beating did some damage to the bar. I apologized to the bar owners (Jenny and her Japanese husband whose name escapes me), gave them a handful of cash for the damage and disturbance, but they refused my offer and actually bought me a drink. They had received complaints about him and were hoping he would be too afraid to come back. If you ever go there for great karaoke you will notice they no longer have bar stools since that night. I don’t recommend doing what I did, but I do believe in protecting those who are less able to protect themselves and anyone who would sexually assault a woman or child doesn’t deserve to share our air.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@lostrune2 Thanks for the quote and the link, that was pretty funny.

But the chikan problem remains a serious one.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

One thing I noticed in this article is, they are not addressing the problem of why there are so many perverted loons having a feel on the trains. There is a very unhealthy sexual fascination with young girls among Japanese men.

As the famous line from the cult favorite film "Dazed and Confused"

"That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wknywxfcE5M

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I was visiting my parents in Japan last year with my boyfriend and a friend, and at the end of our trip I saw what must've been a 15-16 years old girl being felt on her skirt by a guy. My boyfriend and his friend saw it too and quickly went over and slightly nudged the guy in the back as by accident, he turned around and then quickly left.

Could've just been because he'd been spotted, or that both my BF and his friend are over 6.2 feet tall and relatively bulky built.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

maxjapank:

But please, please don't look the other way and ignore it.

There have been some suggestions other than "look the other way and ignore it". What has been roundly and correctly rejected in this thread is the rambo vigilante advice given in the article.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

dumbest advice I have ever heard obviously formulated by someone who has no idea of laws, no experience dealing with Japanese authorities, no grasp of reality

0 ( +1 / -1 )

what is "right thing" from foreigner point of view is often "wrong thing" from other point of view.

on the point! people fail to realize how complex and different some societies can be from the others, a very dangerous situation for many western foreigners here that think coming to Japan and stopping a thief, groper by force will reward them a medal and instant hero status.

Every other day you see people on tv being awarded a commendation from the police for helping someone drowning or for rescuing a lost infant but ever wondered why you never see someone being given a medal for stopping someone committing a crime?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

what is "right thing" from foreigner point of view is often "wrong thing" from other point of view.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

All these people telling foreigners to not get involved. Just no. There is right and there is wrong. If I see someone doing something wrong, I will say something. I guess it depends on how you go about it. But please, please don't look the other way and ignore it. Also, the only way for Japan to change their views of foreigners is for us to do the right things.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

While I was living in the UK I was warned several times not to get involved in police matters. I was given this warning because Brits assumed that as an American I might see something and try to make a "citizen's arrest" or if I came home and found a thief inside, I might try to restrain him and in the process cause injury.

Even in countries with formal provision for "citizen's arrest" you run a risk of getting into serious trouble yourself whether you are a citizen or a foreign national.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen%27s_arrest

I was once questioned as part of an investigation into a double murder in Hachioji because I cycled past the murder scene on a fairly regular basis. The detective who questioned me had absolutely no interest in my status as a foreign national. The questioning was short and to the point. Everyone passing the murder scene was being questioned.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

yea as foreigner, unless the victim is someone you know and with you and in fact getting sexually harassed by a stranger, best stay away.

it could be role play, date type or whatever... it simply doesn't concern you.

tbh, its 2020 , its train and there are cameras everywhere... if a woman still haven't learned in 2020 she can scream or hit the attacker... , it aint your job to educate her, especially when outsider.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Advise from the one who actually worked for the police ( probably as a translator or as a lawyer) sounds so persuasive. He sounds like as if he has JUST observed dozen of such cases but done nothing to help out those innocent foreigners of justice despite he could have been in the best position to do so if he wished

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

showchinmono check again stories from @Do the hustle @laguna @CitizenSmithToday.

Lot of foreigners are willing to help but do their help is welcomed?

I have seen numerous Japanese turn a blind eye as well

This is not "Japanese vs. Foreigners" this is based on personal experience and the experience of others. This has nothing to do with Japanese people and more to do with those in the positions of enforcing the law

A little advice. Don't ever expect all police to be men of character. I don't. There re many a***oles there I know.

That's why I never ever flatter to them. If they don't know how to speak polite form and use Tame-guchi,

I never use polite form either. They are not above nor below yourself.

If you think you are abused, insulted, go higher rank and complain like a furious member of the society does. In case of Tokyo, Call claim center of Metropolitan Police Department and tell the name of police station and the officers you dealt with to release your stress off and revisit them again and make them apologize to you.

Sounds too easy to say so? Not really as it is not act of committing crime at all.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

@Show

Yes paying taxes

I have never laughed at Japanese people

I have seen numerous Japanese turn a blind eye as well

This is not "Japanese vs. Foreigners" this is based on personal experience and the experience of others. This has nothing to do with Japanese people and more to do with those in the positions of enforcing the law
4 ( +4 / -0 )

@showchinmono

even police if you don't want to bother but there must be always ways to stretch your hand to help them.

showchinmono check again stories from @Do the hustle @laguna @CitizenSmithToday.

Lot of foreigners are willing to help but do their help is welcomed?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Thank you for making my point as to why I would not get involved. It is this type of feeling (your indicating that we, including those of us living here for 20 plus years, running a business, hiring Japanese employees) are not part of society.

And paying Tax here right?  Enough those Japanese vs foreigners BS. Anyone turning a blind eye to the victims in front of you is not part of the society in my book, at all. You don't really face these perverts or thugs in the trains, on the streets directly, or even police if you don't want to bother but there must be always ways to stretch your hand to help them.

I simply cannot believe apathy of those, who then like laughing at Japanese people

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

@showchinmono

Great. someone should translate all these comments and spread it out to the society you are not a part of

at all.

Thank you for making my point as to why I would not get involved. It is this type of feeling (your indicating that we, including those of us living here for 20 plus years, running a business, hiring Japanese employees) are not part of society.

If this is the true feeling then I would imagine those Japanese people that are part of society would be very upset for "outsiders" to get involved.

Although I have numerous Japanese friends and like the people here (people I associate with, my neighbors, clients, etc.) your statement is exactly why I would not get involved in such an incident.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I caught a guy dressed as a woman taking upskirt pics, lost the girl but got him and the phone, he ended up being returned to his wife dress as a woman and she was told what he had done, ouch!

Well played. If I’m ever in Kobe, I’m buying you a drink (hopefully at your bar).

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I caught a guy dressed as a woman taking upskirt pics, lost the girl but got him and the phone, he ended up being returned to his wife dress as a woman and she was told what he had done, ouch!

6 ( +6 / -0 )

The sex pests aren't just confined to domestic opportunists.

True. I’ve stopped two foreigners from groping in the past three months. They were as shocked as the Japanese people in the carriage when I opened up on them in Japanese about how griping is not acceptable, they need to stop, and to go stand by the door where I could keep an eye on them.

I received immediate compliance and no issues with the police. Of course, I didn’t touch either of the guys.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Now this article and keyboard hero wants us to come to the rescue. Save me! NO! Save yourself and sit in this open seat.

There was a video of a gaijin, a few years back, that went viral here. Rubbing up against a Japanese woman on the train. Very unpleasant.

The sex pests aren't just confined to domestic opportunists.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Great. someone should translate all these comments and spread it out to the society you are not a part of

at all.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

they.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

They do it because the can.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

● Be sure you have multiple men on side to help secure the culprit

What men? Japanese men?

The ones who are too afraid to do anything?

The cops who are supposed to protect, but are actually causing crimes?

The ones too pretty to give up the mirror to their women or are playing with their hair?

The ones who can't remember anything when they drink?

This could go on and on.........

I'd rather take my chances with mulitple women by side, thank you.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Oh come on, that Kick Ass movie in a Japanese context could be pretty cool - "Mini-skirt Police" meet "Mini-Skirt Nijia High School Girls", your balls will drop off if you harass their ass.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Depending on who was doing the apprehending, I can see those steps being taken only for the story to become "foreigner arrested for attacking Japanese salaryman on train".

2 ( +2 / -0 )

nobody said: "foreigners in Japan, please be heroes and save those poor girls". all of this was intended to be for Japanese people. obviously, those of us (foreigners) living in Japan long term know that it,s silly (for us, as foreigners(in Japan) ) to even try doing those things to a Japanese person, in public(!) and on top of that, dealing with Japanese police. but, as for Japanese people, even if this looks ridiculous and something from the Kick Ass movie, at least it,s better than doing nothing. those creeps need to learn their lessons... of course the best thing to do would be to understand why so many Japanese are perverts and why many of them feel attracted to young girls, but i guess it,s too late for that, it,s already part of Japan... so since there,s no turning back, at least this is something huh. now, all of you here should stop with the whole "Japanese vs gaijin" thing and talk about how Soranews wants to keep forgetting about the way Japanese people/society thinks, when it comes to foreigners...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Ah, Hollywood would have a field day with this one. Remember the little Girl in the Movie "Kick Ass", now place her in a packed train and being groped by one of these perverts... imagine... and leave it at that....

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There is an adage that goes, "snitches get stitches" and this meddler despite intentions will get theirs eventually by someone more crazy. Best to mind ones own business and let the police handle it, staying out of it is the best unless it is life threatening.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Yes it's the sad reality in Japan as it is today. I wouldn't get involved in any situation unless it was family members or friends. Otherwise I would just have to ignore it.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

 Grasp the culprit’s belt and both their arms from behind when apprehending them

 Grab their smartphone and don’t give it back to them

Be aware if you do that you're taking a risk of being arrested yourself if you're gaijin.

Stay away from any body contact even on a crowded train.

Impossible, can't be done on a crowded train.

How about just kick him in the nuts and move along.

Some of these perverts actually like that. But it would stop the majority of them from continuing. Just be careful about doing that if you're gaijin.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

foreigners need to mind their own business if they see such incidents

> and not try to butt into how things are in other countries

Is this directed at @keizi666 ?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Shimazaki-san

I love living in Japan, really like the country and intend to stay however after well over 2 decades here I know certain realities. I’m sure there may be some cases where the chips may fall my way but I won’t ever chance this one unless it’s my wife or daughter.

respect your feelings and post but this would be my sensible recommendation to others too

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Tokyo-EngrToday  06:38 pm JST

Why publish this garbage? Any of us who have lived here long term know the consequences of a foreigner engaging in such acts

I'll be a bit careful believing those rumors and stories 100%. At least some of the time, once the story comes out,it's the foreigner that's too quick to just assume discrimination, when other factors are clear candidates. Like a guy who got into a fight with two people. Of course, when it comes time to compare testimonies he was worsted. Do you think it might be the fact they had two people backing each other's testimony up? No, of course it must be racism. Meh.

-11 ( +0 / -11 )

will suggest that getting film can be just as hard in Japan as in HK.

If it's hard in HK then it should be hard in Japan too. Really?

From the station's point of view, it is a native claiming he was being robbed (of his phone) by a foreigner and the foreigner trying to justify his act by claiming he saw the native try and take video up one of his student's skirts. Student saw nothing. How do you think you would process this?

They can check the camera and they can try to confirm this back to students in different day since @do the hustle said it was one of students in the same school

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Why publish this garbage? Any of us who have lived here long term know the consequences of a foreigner engaging in such acts

anyone who acts on this article is a fool

11 ( +13 / -2 )

sakurasukiToday 06:08 pm JST

You were using HK as an example, where this case happened in Japan.

Do you have any reason to believe the array of statutes, regulations and law in Japan will make getting film more favorable? In fact, the examples people are providing us, read objectively and without an insistence of discrimination, will suggest that getting film can be just as hard in Japan as in HK.

A little advice though, don’t grab anybody if you are a foreigner. I grabbed a pervert taking video up the skirt of one of my high school students 7 or 8 years ago. He started screaming like a little girl and attempting to delete the video from his phone. I tried to grab his phone and he screamed louder.l. The station staff came and we were both taken to the station office. They didn’t take his phone of him and he deleted the videos while he was waiting for the police. He was interrogated for about 15 minutes and they kept him go.

What part of this made it sound like the station "met the victim". If anything, the victim was apparently completely oblivious and any information she had of being victimized is what her teacher told her. From the station's point of view, it is a native claiming he was being robbed (of his phone) by a foreigner and the foreigner trying to justify his act by claiming he saw the native try and take video up one of his student's skirts. Student saw nothing. How do you think you would process this?

If anything, given the plot, the police probably believed his story. However, the objective evidence is basically all bad for him. They can hardly receive an accusation of assault and attempted robbery and just let the guy go.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I've discussed the real difficulties of getting security footage, but what do you think it is more likely to show with blatant and unambiguous clarity -

You were using HK as an example, where this case happened in Japan.

If they can have footage for this kind simple case, how can they can manage in case emergency if something happen whenTokyo Olympic? I understand to acquire for evidence there are paperwork but just to see, it should' be that hard especially in Japan people will obey with authority.

The station staff is likely to have sided with the other guy

The same station that already met with the victim suddenly choose to sided with a chikan?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

sakurasuki Today 05:32 pm JST

There were lot of things those officer can do to confirm, they can asked station staffs whether they were a victim or other witnesses. They can check security camera. Instead doing all of those they just focus on @do the hustle.

I've discussed the real difficulties of getting security footage, but what do you think it is more likely to show with blatant and unambiguous clarity - the pervert covertly taking a shot with his phone or DoTheHustle tackling him. I suspect it'll be the latter that shows up more clearly on the footage.

The station staff is likely to have sided with the other guy (as suggested when they didn't take his phone or anything). The bystanders ... by the time the police came, all of them are hurrying towards their regular life stations, with any memories of what happened fading fast.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Here is the video the article mentions at the end about a guy who sent a chikan flying:

https://twitter.com/senaizu_hiyori/status/1209049998844821504

As you can see: Nobody interferred. The young girls were also helpless, they caught up but didn't do anything but continue running after him when he got back up. Therefore I go with most of the comments here warning about getting involved as a foreigner - you might just shout out chikan to the others hoping somebody will do something. Personally if I saw a chikan in the act on a train and I was at least 1m away, I would call to the girl loudly if everything is ok. Then it's up to her and the chikan might stop because of the awareness of the others. If closer just try to push him away. I could advice to nothing more than that because it will be you in the end in trouble. Reasons see other comments above.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

laguna

Admirable sentiment, but when you're non-Japanese, the cops will often focus more on your legal status than on the crime you're trying to report. I've had it happen to me on several occasions; it deters me when deciding whether acting is worth the inevitable hassle.

CitizenSmithToday

I was treated with suspicion when I handed in a lost purse at a koban. There is no way I’d do anything that would get me involved with the police again .

Do the hustle

He was interrogated for about 15 minutes and they kept him go. However, I was held and interrogated for two hours while they checked my visa status, called the school I worked at, called my ex-wife and treated me like the criminal. After they were satisfied I was a human, one of the cops said to me in English, “Stay out of Japan business!” 

That' shows how law enforcement really work in Japan.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

In cases where the chikan is not a policeman, I have heard they often operate as a group. Grab one guy and you may have a group against you. Grab the guy's phone, and you run the risk of being accused of being a thief, and there may be a group of witnesses to support the accusation

No these days they just work alone, once someone spot them they will ran away.

https://japantoday.com/category/crime/suspected-groper-arrested-after-jumping-onto-train-tracks-and-fleeing-from-station

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Well, I suspect the station staff is more to blame than the police. Your attempt to arrest him also qualified for Assault. The station staff either out of negligence or intent gave him a chance to delete the videos.

There were lot of things those officer can do to confirm, they can asked station staffs whether they were a victim or other witnesses. They can check security camera. Instead doing all of those they just focus on @do the hustle.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@numan @finally rich

You can be attained for taking videos and photos of people.

It really depends on your purpose on taking video or pictures, in case in order to gather evidence that video and pictures can be used to court as evidence.

Check these article.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2020/01/20/issues/remain-calm-when-stopped-police-japan/

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2017/01/22/how-tos/recording-public-places-japan-privacy-portrait-rights-come-play/

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

oldman_13 Today 11:02 am JST

Well, let me try to phrase it another way.

Sure it's terrible for women to be groped on a Japanese train, but foreigners need to mind their own business if they see such incidents and not try to butt into how things are in other countries.

Last thing we need is for non-Japanese citizens to start taking the law into their own hands on public transport, which will actually make things worse.

I will have to strongly disagree with this attitude. First, even if we accept the premise of "taking the law into their own hands", the qualifier of "non-Japanese" citizens is openly discriminatory and further, that you, presumably representing Japan, are signing off on your own countrywomen being harmed over "foreign intervention", a position that would take a lot of justification to support.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Well, let me try to phrase it another way.

Sure it's terrible for women to be groped on a Japanese train, but foreigners need to mind their own business if they see such incidents and not try to butt into how things are in other countries.

Last thing we need is for non-Japanese citizens to start taking the law into their own hands on public transport, which will actually make things worse.

This all says: If you’re not Japanese, don’t try to help a Japanese victim of a crime while you’re in Japan. Stopping a crime is far different than “taking the law into [your] own hands.”

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Even though I called out to people around me, nobody moved.

Witnessing anything in Japan leads to an interrogation which in turn kills the entire day. This applies to foreigners and Japanese people. When I had a car accident in U.S., many ran out to my car to help me. In Japan, I saw an overturned car with everyone just passing by.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Agree with much of the above. What you realistically can do is quietly muscle your way between the chikan and victim and enjoy angry looks. Any of the advice in the article is just asking for trouble.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Listen to what they say

● Ignore excuses from the culprit

Then why listen?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

As a foreigner, unless it's a family member or a close friend, the best is do nothing and mind your own business. You'll end up arrested or worse.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

I try to stay out of things dealing with Japanese. As a foreigner, you will end up inviting a lot of attention and may even find yourself in the middle.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

for people who are scared to act or saying to others not to act when they see a sexual assault in front of them,

you are either truly worse than the chikan or you are chikan yourself and dont want more people stopping you,

so what if police investigated you after you stopped a criminal?

no, they cannot turn this against you. if you did make it a global issue, start a movement, be the change,

"Don't fear the path just because few follow"

-12 ( +4 / -16 )

@Do the hustle Today 07:23 am JST

Well, I suspect the station staff is more to blame than the police. Your attempt to arrest him also qualified for Assault. The station staff either out of negligence or intent gave him a chance to delete the videos. By the time the police came there was nothing on him, but we have his screams that you assaulted him, and you are not exactly denying it, but trying to justify it. Unfortunately now that there is nothing to point to his crime and thus your action was unjustified.

Next time, try sneaking in at least some film of Pervert taking video up the skirt before trying to apprehend him. It might work better. Oh wait...

finally rich Today 10:36 am JST

 j-cops WILL focus on finding any wrongdoing they can charge you, including 肖像権 (taking pictures of someone without their permission), got a client trapped exactly by this law when he took a picture of a shoplifter in Daiso.

That will be very strange, because a violation of 肖像権 does not violate any criminal law. What article did they use to charge your client?

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Let's fix this list:

Step 0: Make sure you are not a foreigner.

Step 0.5: Make sure Japanese police have changed their attitude towards foreigners, or else you'll be the one in trouble. Not going to happen in a long time, but still...

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Nice pic to go along with the article.

Looks like something a chikan would take...

11 ( +11 / -0 )

HEY! Here's an idea!

Girls, why don't you try sitting in the open seat next to the "GAIJIN" on the train? It's open. Nobody wants to sit to me? OH, We get it! We are gaijin. Nobody wants to sit next to him. No, no, no. That person speaks English. We might ask about that book you are reading. NO? Walk by the empty seat because that person is not Japanese?

Okay then, go stand next to the Chikan by the door.

Now this article and keyboard hero wants us to come to the rescue. Save me! NO! Save yourself and sit in this open seat.

9 ( +15 / -6 )

Remember, there are many cases in which the chikan is a policeman.

In cases where the chikan is not a policeman, I have heard they often operate as a group. Grab one guy and you may have a group against you. Grab the guy's phone, and you run the risk of being accused of being a thief, and there may be a group of witnesses to support the accusation.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

I got no issue whatsoever with perv trying to run on tracks and getting hit by train, they get whats coming to em.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

"In Japan, sexual harassment on trains is a problem that refuses to go away"

their leader had better go back and reopen all those slot shops, slot zones, etc he ordered closed over the years, and tax and sanitary regulate , then those native chikans' will have places to go.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I'm NOT doing any of the things listed by this wannabe "Kick-Ass".

NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED in this nation. Who wants to be a hero? Who wants to be a vigilante coming to the aid of a poor helpless highschool girl who's in the wrong place at the wrong time?

I'm going to totally break this down and why it's wrong and even dangerous for you! Don't be that guy!

How to stay calm and act to apprehend a chikan when you see them groping.

 Covertly take a photo or video of them at the scene - AHH no I can't. I need their permission first.

● Be sure to capture their face in the photo or video - PRIVACY laws. No, I can't

● Be sure you have multiple men on side to help secure the culprit. - OH, I should gather a posse eh? Tokyo Titans, anyone?

● Grasp the culprit’s belt and both their arms from behind when apprehending them. - Do you know Akido? Karate?

● Grab their smartphone and don’t give it back to them. - AHHHH, NO, You want to arrest a chikan and thief? Oh I get it! You don't want him to call his lawyer.

● Because a case cannot be filed without the victim, ask the victim to stay with you. It will be good if a female can help to care for the victim

This is my favorite. Girl doesn't make a statement. She doesn't want any trouble. She feels guilty. Guess what? Now it's just YOU!

● Call the station staff and get the police to come - YES, I can do this. They want to be heroes. They have insurance covering them should they get hit by an oncoming train. I do not have insurance for this.

● Be sure to hand them over to police to prevent them offending again. - TOUGH GUY! Macho! You need a cape. Let me contact Alfred. He'll make a super suit custom fit.

● Firmly reprimand them using a loud voice. Listen to what they say. - MORE MACHO! I doubt you listen. Too much adrenaline going. You've got your man. You're ready to be on Bounty Hunters - Netflix.

● Ignore excuses from the culprit - Attaboy! Can't nobody tell you nothing.

● Let’s forget about the inconvenience of being late for school or work for the time being - Yeah, we all have plenty of money. Ours companies don't mind us doing superhero work. We get paid for that.

● Secure the offender firmly, taking into consideration that they may escape on the railway tracks - With what? Should I break his legs? What would Steven Seagal do? Hmmm

● Pat the outside of pockets to check for the presence of weapons - Hahahaha now you want me to touch him?

My comments are not to support chikans. In fact, I'm more worried about what might happen to YOU reading this. After all, you have a family, a job, and a life. Don't go out there taking unnecessary risks that could get YOU in trouble. It's okay to be a witness, but check NONE of the above before you even think about wrestling down someone you don't know. You need to ask yourself one question before you try any of those half-baked ideas. Are you Batman?

P.S: The hero doesn't always get the girl. That's Hollywood.

15 ( +17 / -2 )

Well, let me try to phrase it another way.

Sure it's terrible for women to be groped on a Japanese train, but foreigners need to mind their own business if they see such incidents and not try to butt into how things are in other countries.

Last thing we need is for non-Japanese citizens to start taking the law into their own hands on public transport, which will actually make things worse.

-11 ( +4 / -15 )

"I hate people who turn a blind eye to things"

Yeah when they do thangs, this usually happens, but if a non J does, they become a trove of super mega inquisitorial blether source.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Make them register as sex offender in a national database

10 ( +10 / -0 )

I remember traveling on a busy rural train with a friend many years ago and witnessing a chikan at work harassing a schoolgirl (kokosei) close to the doors and getting a bit 'hands on' between the crowd.. At the next stop, during the movement of people, we made sure we carefully positioned ourselves, backs to him, between the pervert and the schoolgirl to prevent anything further. Just quietly just so that he didn't think anything was up.

The next stop was the interesting one. Doors opened, they both stayed on. We waited for the 7 second jingle to announce the doors were closing, and with a couple of seconds to go, we spun around, and with a hand in each of his armpits we swiftly and firmly ejected him on his arse on the train platform.

Doors close.

Stunned idiot watches his train depart without him for a sad 45 minute wait for the next one. The schoolgirl see's what happened and with a very relieved face just quietly mouths the words "Thank you" in English to my friend and I. We check she is OK and she moves away from the 'scene' as I guess she was a bit embarrassed about the situation. The other passengers seemed to work out what was going on when we spoke briefly to the girl afterwards but no one seemed that worried.

16 ( +16 / -0 )

The cops most often than not side with the Japanese citizen and believe them over you. You will more likely be interrogated and treated like a criminal even if you are the one actually being assaulted or being a good samaritan.

Not a very wise act being a good samaritan in Japan, unless you are saving someone from a natural disaster, accident etc, but never from other (japanese) people.

The police will arrive at the scene and all they will see will be a rowdy foreigner disturbing the public/peace in Japan. Taking pictures from the chikan might not help either because believe me, the j-cops WILL focus on finding any wrongdoing they can charge you, including 肖像権 (taking pictures of someone without their permission), got a client trapped exactly by this law when he took a picture of a shoplifter in Daiso.

If you have a life in Japan, please do turn a blind eye.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

Covertly take a photo or video of them at the scene

Be sure to capture their face in the photo or video

You can be attained for taking videos and photos of people.

The cops most often than not side with the Japanese citizen and believe them over you. You will more likely be interrogated and treated like a criminal even if you are the one actually being assaulted or being a good samaritan.

15 ( +15 / -0 )

● Be sure you have multiple men on side to help secure the culprit

Is this really good advice? What if the culprit is injured or even dies from suffocation? Taking a picture or video would be reasonable.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

chikan, the Japanese word for a man who gropes women on trains.

The overwhelming majority of victims are women

Who'd have thunk?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Burst out laughing at the part about firmly grab the best, hold the arms back, etc. As a foreigner, doing any of this is out of the question. Sorry, but my main concern while taking public transit as a foreigner working here is to be as unassuming as possible. It’s bad enough having Japanese men regularly muttering under their breath at me or sighing in exasperation to see me dare want to get on or off the train (even if I do just what anyone else does, they perceive it as cutting them off and rude). Hard enough to need to go the extra mile and be extra unassuming just to be barely as accepted as a normal Japanese person.

So this business about grabbing someone’s belt?! やだ!

19 ( +19 / -0 )

besides if you grab someone’s smartphone without their permission, you are definitely going to be arrested for robbery no matter the scenario.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

I am foreigner commuting by train to work. As I always do, please avoid any standing or sitting position that can be doubtful. Stay away from any body contact even on a crowded train.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

Please DON’T do this if you happen to be a foreigner in Japan.

You are likely to go spend a couple of hours explaining yourself while the cops investigate YOU (for assault as always, as I have witnessed at least a dozen times working for the police), don’t do this!!!

22 ( +24 / -2 )

Two things that I've taught my girls if someone tries to grope them;

How to defend themselves.

Don't stay silent. Make a commotion.

I don't care whether strangers frown upon making a scene in public. My girls should know and do know that they have the right to commute without having to put up with someone touching them.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

, “Stay out of Japan business!” That was the last time I ever interfered with any of these perverted loons. I’ve seen many other cases of the same thing since then and just ignore it.

You mean you have just ignored since then, or would ignore even if your high school students have been victimized? At least, you can warn the girls on the spot without dealing with perverts

-14 ( +3 / -17 )

@oldman_13

Guaranteed, come this summer, you know all these white knight foreigners will be filming themselves apprehending Japanese male gropers and post it on social media to show what brave heroes they are.

Can't agree with you. As with @Laguna and @Do the hustle, many of us are numb to such things because many of us have been burned by the system for trying to provide a helping hand.

22 ( +23 / -1 )

, “Stay out of Japan business!” That was the last time I ever interfered with any of these perverted loons. I’ve seen many other cases of the same thing since then and just ignore it.

You did the right thing and gratitude instead of discrimination should have been expressed for your partnership in tackling a social malaise.

24 ( +24 / -0 )

Pat the outside of pockets to check for the presence of weapons

While I understand people are trying to help, only the police and doctors have the right to detain and search other people.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

in spite of specially created pins, stamps

Are these really considered deterrents?

Some of the things this article mentions that I don't believe people should take it upon themselves to do is checking for weapons and attempting to physically restrain the culprit. This can lead to harming yourself and other passengers.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

All great advice given. Not so easy on a crowded train. Remember, these dirt bags know what they are doing. As I always told my daughters. Grab the hand that touches you to ensure you have the right dirt bag so that another innocent guy's life isn't destroyed.

18 ( +18 / -0 )

I hate people who turn a blind eye to things.

Admirable sentiment, but when you're non-Japanese, the cops will often focus more on your legal status than on the crime you're trying to report. I've had it happen to me on several occasions; it deters me when deciding whether acting is worth the inevitable hassle.

38 ( +39 / -1 )

They are very interesting points about ways to apprehend a chikan. A little advice though, don’t grab anybody if you are a foreigner. I grabbed a pervert taking video up the skirt of one of my high school students 7 or 8 years ago. He started screaming like a little girl and attempting to delete the video from his phone. I tried to grab his phone and he screamed louder.l. The station staff came and we were both taken to the station office. They didn’t take his phone of him and he deleted the videos while he was waiting for the police. He was interrogated for about 15 minutes and they kept him go. However, I was held and interrogated for two hours while they checked my visa status, called the school I worked at, called my ex-wife and treated me like the criminal. After they were satisfied I was a human, one of the cops said to me in English, “Stay out of Japan business!” That was the last time I ever interfered with any of these perverted loons. I’ve seen many other cases of the same thing since then and just ignore it.

One thing I noticed in this article is, they are not addressing the problem of why there are so many perverted loons having a feel on the trains. There is a very unhealthy sexual fascination with young girls among Japanese men. They should be more concerned about why so many Japanese men are such sick and perverted loons. Perhaps it has something to do with child pornography manga being readily available to any perverted loon that wants it.

49 ( +56 / -7 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites