crime

Police officer arrested over groping incident on train

30 Comments

A 36-year-old police officer has been arrested on suspicion of allegedly groping a 17-year-old high school girl on a train in Kanagawa Prefecture.

According to prefectural police, the incident occurred at around 7:50 a.m. Friday aboard a train between Hon-Atsugi and Ebina stations on the Odakyu line, Kyodo News reported. The suspect, Sumihiko Hirota, who is an assistant inspector, is accused of groping the girl’s left breast. Police said he has denied the charge.

When Hirota and the girl both got off the train at Ebina Station, she grabbed his arm and yelled out “He groped me.” Hirota fled the scene but a police officer who happened to be on the platform chased him and caught him on an escalator.

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30 Comments
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What the heck is this?

A double standard that has no justification.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

So do more to stamp out groping in Japan then you don't have to worry about being falsely accused.

Sorry, are you suggesting that there is a way that all groping could be absolutely stopped, therefore meaning men don't have to worry? This is a logical fallacy - the only way to remove any possibility of groping, and therefore false accusations, would be to have everyone on the train entirely physically separated an unable to touch each other. Unless any possibility of touching others is entirely removed, some will grope regardless of the law, and a small percentage of groping accusations will be either false, or mistakenly attributed to the wrong person.

This is not going to happen in Japan. The financial costs of physically separating every train rider would be ridiculous - they'd have to add more trains, and build more lines, to be able to accommodate the separation of riders.

So back in the real world, your suggestion that we should do more to stamp out groping is correct, but the idea that this will remove false accusations is, frankly, ridiculous.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

According to prefectural police, the incident occurred at around 7:50 a.m. Friday aboard a train between

As other posters commented, alleged grope aboard the train, but . . .

When Hirota and the girl both got off the train at Ebina Station, she grabbed his arm and yelled out “He groped me.” Hirota fled the scene but a police officer who happened to be on the platform chased him and caught him on an escalator.

No accusation until the girl was off the train.

At 7:50 a.m.

Police said he has denied the charge.

Smart move if one does not want to be convicted for this type of incident.

It may not be so simple, a lot of times crimes that would have some prison term are unexplainable punished only with them losing their jobs. It may not be as bad as in other places, but there are double standards.

What the heck is this?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Instead of segregated trains (which apparently weren't used), why not put more trains on the tracks so that everyone can have a seat? Cameras could see everything then and people could actually relax. The train security could look up the footage right then and there. If positive, then the groper is held for the police. If negative, apology and goes on their way. No report necessary.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Have seen similar articles like this on jt over the decades.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

What’s up with the Japanese police ?

Consistently strange behavior repeating these days…

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

He might have run due to fear but running also makes you look guilty. When I ride with women on crowded trains, and especially if they are high school girls, I steer as clear as possible. If they are close by, I grasp the top bar on the luggage rack or hold the extreme top of the hanging clasp and always have something in the other hand or make it clearly visible.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Is always a sight to see when the police go after other police officers who had committed a crime. Not like other places where they are protected by the force.

It may not be so simple, a lot of times crimes that would have some prison term are unexplainable punished only with them losing their jobs. It may not be as bad as in other places, but there are double standards.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

@Gaijinjland

It’s possible he’s innocent. It happens. False accusations. But he’s in law enforcement and innocent people don’t run.

In Japan it doesn't matter you are law enforcement or not, what matters is that if someone accuse you. You can be in jail and lost your job.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

@letsberealistic

I'd say the number of men out there groping women outweighs the number of women trying to get money out of men by accusing them of gripping is many millions to one. Let's get our perspective right here.

That accident happened 7:20 AM during rush hour even that someone groping, just check every salaryman in Japan most of them almost similar. Let's say even if someone really groped her, can she really say that she get the right person. For now without camera it's about her word against him.

@Strangerland

It’a very rare. It’s almost always actually a groper rather than a false accusation. The question I have for you is, since it’s most always not a false accusation, should we therefore not even bother giving accused a day in court and go directly from the accusation to criminal penalty? It would save court costs, time, and stress to the ladies who have been groped.

Incident itself might happen, there are plenty cases that it's difficult for victim to correctly identified the real criminal. So innocent person being caught and victim just want to feel good even it's not necessary they got the right person.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Do you really think there are Japanese women out there trying to get money out of men by accusing them of touching them on the train!"

It’a very rare. It’s almost always actually a groper rather than a false accusation. The question I have for you is, since it’s most always not a false accusation, should we therefore not even bother giving accused a day in court and go directly from the accusation to criminal penalty? It would save court costs, time, and stress to the ladies who have been groped. But I’m curious - do we then consider the few men who were victims of false accusations, who then pay the criminal price for a groping they did not do, collateral damage? Is this to be considered cost of being born the same gender as the gropers rather than the gropees? Am I to understand this to be the morally acceptable position regarding outright belief of claims of groping?

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

But he’s in law enforcement and innocent people don’t run.

Why don’t innocent people run? What are you basing that conclusion on?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

"letsberealistic"

"Please, 'if he really groped her'? Do you really think there are Japanese women out there trying to get money out of men by accusing them of touching them on the train!"

Yes! It was big news not long after the tougher penalties were put in place a few years ago. And it still goes on today. Please do not think females are all honest and trustworthy, thats just a sexist comment

2 ( +6 / -4 )

It’s possible he’s innocent. It happens. False accusations. But he’s in law enforcement and innocent people don’t run.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Seriously, what are the qualifications to becoming a cop in Japan?

A pulse, the end?

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

Good on the girl for grabbing him.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

As a Male when I am on a crowded train in Japan I stand with both my hand holding the rails above my head. This way if I was ever accused of this kind of crime the on board cameras will see it was not possible. I am not saying its the case here but since Japan tightened its assault rules on trains in Japan a few years back it started a new way for women/girls who are not as honest as others to make the claim "You touched me" and ask for money in return for not calling the police.

But again before you call me out I am NOT saying thats the case here and if he did in fact grope her needs to be punished.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Strange things happening.

Sometimes useless details (left breast)

The suspect's career is terminated.

Indeed very strange way to ask for help, at the train station the suspect wanted to get off only.

Again need to have a due trial before knowing the truth and justice to be served.

I foresee he may claim to have groped only the right one.

Please educate people to intervene as soon as someone needs help.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

What is it with Japanese men and groping or up-skirting little girls?!

Good question.

-2 ( +8 / -10 )

It’s also possible he is innocent. She didn’t say anything on the train.

must of been a special day for a beat cop to chase and arrest an assistant inspector. That quite a high rank right?

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

What is it with Japanese men and groping or up-skirting little girls?!

-4 ( +11 / -15 )

Is always a sight to see when the police go after other police officers who had committed a crime. Not like other places where they are protected by the force.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

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