Serial groper caught in the act on Yokohama train

Good on the girl to catch this bastard. Glad she stood up and took him in.

I am a bit suprised he did not try to run or fight her off. The way the article is written, it sounds like he wanted to brag.

girls 1, gropers nil

catching trains in the wrong direction is a popular pastime among many serial gropers on the archipelago of japan. so too is reading comics and eating raw seafood.

so too is reading comics and eating raw seafood.

@GAYMAN, what are you trying to say? Anyone who likes to eat Sushi and reads comics is a serial groper?

Anyone who likes to eat Sushi and reads comics is a serial groper?

Potentially, yeah, pretty much so.

When he's locked up will the groper become the gropee?

Potentially, yeah, pretty much so.

I guess riding the train is going to turn fun.

To me, the most perplexing part of this whole groping pandemic here is that on the one hand, this guy did this 200 times, and on the other hand, ALL IT TOOK was the girl to turn around and grab his hand, and he obediently waited for the authorities, and confessed everything.

That's two hundred girls that let this happen and didn't even smack the guy. WTF?

Bamboohat,

Yeah, I'm going to have to second that. What took so long catching this asshat, considering it took so little effort to hand him over to the police?

Because who cares? Seriously, so some dood grabs your ass, you give him a snarl or say something to smack him, then go about your business. Why bother bringing the guy to the authorities. They don't care, it's not even jail time.

What I find hilarious is imagining him slightly grinning with a huge erection as the young girl leads him by hand away from the train. hahaha

so some dood grabs your ass

so how about if you were wandering through 2-chome and some dood grabbed YOUR ass? you don't seem like the sort to just blush and giggle

What about the other commuters in the train? Why do they keep silent and pretend that they are oblivious to the surroundings? Cannot believe that this guy has done it so many times and no one else noticed it. Very smart girl indeed.

Its harder to take action against the perpetrator than you might think. Speaking as the husband of a woman groped, I'm glad the one got caught and felt compelled to admit his other transgressions. My wife is normally vocal and strong-willed, but felt so shocked by the act of being inappropriately touched that she couldn't react quickly. And then the guy was gone. Now she carries a wee pepper-spray bottle. I hope she has the composure to use it.

Are you in Japan, jackfish? If so, are you aware that it is illegal to carry pepper spray in Japan? I hope your wife doesn't have to use it as she might find herself in as much trouble as the chikan.

What about the other commuters in the train? Why do they keep silent and pretend that they are oblivious to the surroundings? Cannot believe that this guy has done it so many times and no one else noticed it. Very smart girl indeed.

On the very crowded lines like the Sobu, Chuo, Keihin-Tohoku, Musashino, etc you probably wouldn't know if the person next to was getting stabbed, let alone groped. It's really really crowded with people pressed right up to you - how are you supposed to breathe? You certainly can't see what's going on below the waistline.

Whenever I ride one of these super crowded trains my hands are visible, above my head, at all times. Nobody's accusing me of groping.

about 200 times?, so i guess that means groper: 199 random girl:1

womanforwomen-"What about the other commuters in the train? Why do they keep silent and pretend that they are oblivious to the surroundings? "

Until a woman protests, you cannot tell if it is consensual. Some, maybe even most women freeze. Some appear to be enjoying it, and despite themselves, probably are and will regret it later. Some, might not have regrets.

Its really hard to tell what the heck is going on sometimes. What you are asking is almost like busting down a door and asking a couple "Hey, is this consensual?? It is? Okay, carry on!" Its just not that simple.

Even in the cases where the woman is protesting, if its really mild protesting it can still be difficult to tell what is happening. Every guy has experienced mild protest to his advances. Women protest mildly for many reasons, like strong feelings of disgust that are tempered by personal embarrassement or an unwillingness to shame the guy, or a mild feeling of disapproval that might change to approval in time. It happens. And nobody wants to be a party pooper and nobody wants act heroic only to be called a fool for it later.

These groping cases are a whole lot more complicated than the case of the guy who dragged a woman to the train toilet to rape her. But there is a similar confusion there because passengers were unaware that they were not acquainted. They did not know either from Peter.

What I would suggest is a clear law that nothing sexual is allowed on the train in any case whatsoever (might already exist actually), and frequent reminders to passengers of that law. Then, when groping happens, the passengers can speak up easily because such a reminder empowers them to break up a sexual encounter of any kind and elminates all that confusion.

In fact, I urge everyone to use that excuse starting a.s.a.p. You see anything sexual on the train, you break it up and tell them both that such behavior is unacceptable on the train. Then you can look the guy in the eye and ask what his girlfriend's name is. If he cannot answer then you turn to the girl and ask if she would like to press charges.

Why on earth would he admit to 200 offenses? Leaving aside the specifics of this case, it makes you wonder how the police extract confessions. What kind of threats did they use to get him to admit to 200 offenses? Is the reason so that the police can write off 200 unsolved incidents in their crime book and claim their efficiency bonus?

What about the other commuters in the train? Why do they keep silent and pretend that they are oblivious to the surroundings? Cannot believe that this guy has done it so many times and no one else noticed it. Very smart girl indeed.

personally i wouldn't get involved because as a gaijin, it's best to be a million miles away from any confrontation

BC a clear law would be the perfect solution. But don't you think that even without the law, people should act decently in public. These things should be taught in homes and schools.I know in some countries, old ladies and men sometimes do make a fuss when they see inappropriate behavior in public. If a few smart girls embarass a few silly guys like the one in the news, maybe to some extent groping would be minimised.

With tests coming up, I bet she can get an a free pass this time around. The stress of having her butt grabbed. When she is 80, she will look back at it with pride. That said, this perv should have gotten a hand up side his head. From either the girl or an ADULT on the train. O, ADULTS here don't defend children. 200 times an no one saw anything.

I remember a classmate of mine from Sophia University, a Japanese American woman, told me that she was also groped in a not-so-crowded train. She said she turned around and whacked him hard and confronted him in English, in front of everyone. I wouldn't be surprised if he ever did that again.

Should read, "I would be surprised if he ever did that again."

why not just separate women from men... separate train coaches...sorry bad engrish...

BeaverCleaver: "...you cannot tell if it is consensual."

A consensual grope? Which line are you on?

Womanforwoman: I saw a man groping (Yamanote). I told him to stop. He laughed. The woman didn't move - until I asked her if she was ok. Then she walked away - embarrassed.

personally i wouldn't get involved because as a gaijin, it's best to be a million miles away from any confrontation

Very true Griff. I grabbed a 20 something sicko taking pictures up a school girl's skirt on the stairs at the station a few years ago. He started screaming like a little girl and the station staff grabbed ME! He ran off through the crowd never to be seen again. I was detained by the JR staff till the cops came and spent the next four hours at the koban pleading my innocence. I was eventually let off without a charge nor an apology, but it is the last time I will ever intervene in any such event unless it directly involves one of my kids or my wife. Then, gawd help the sicko cos I'm sure the cops will have good reason to detain me.

This girl is lucky this pervert didn't have a box cutter.

steen-"A consensual grope? Which line are you on?

Womanforwoman: I saw a man groping (Yamanote). I told him to stop. He laughed. The woman didn't move - until I asked her if she was ok. Then she walked away - embarrassed."

I can think of many reasons why she was embarrassed. A consensual grope is possible on any train line. But the women who are silently consenting are in the minority and impossible to clearly distinguish from those who have just frozen from shock or horror or disgust and those who are going to reap the added pleasure of watching you burn by destroying your reputation when its all done. Best not to even mess that that.

But it is ridiculous to suggest that while many men are all for random sexual encounters with strangers, that all women are against. That is just silly. But I cannot emphasize this enough. Finding such women is difficult and if you get burned for trying to find them, I will be there with a torch in hand to help you burn. Its just stupid to do that and you will hurt too many women in the process.

pawatan, with your hands above your head on a moving train, your groin is likely to come into direct contact with fellow travelers. My question is, why wasn't this poor woman flashed across Japanese tv as a hero and a role model? We need to stop this disgrace. And school-girl soft porn.

steen, I am sure it was embarassing for her but then she would have appreciated your deed later on.

BC, you said "But it is ridiculous to suggest that while many men are all for random sexual encounters with strangers, that all women are against". Good luck to you on your analysis of the human behavior and your thesis. I do not have a deep knowledge in this. I could say as a woman, yes, we like to be touched and kissed but in the appropriate way, and in an acceptable environment. These men who cannot control their urges behave in a manner which is just embarassing for themselves as well as for the victim. As for this particular man, it is very clear that he is mentally ill. For him to leave to work early, take the train that goes in the opposite direction to his destination, grope a woman and then go to his workplace and begin his workday!

i don't understand why you are taking the stance that the posters, especially the foreigners are being overly critical of Jland and its culture. It is true that these things are happening all over the world and many escape punishment but in Jland these offences are not taken seriously. In other countries when caught, the offender is punished seriously. I heard that in India when an incident like this happens, everyone blames the woman saying that she was reason for the man to behave like that or some other lame argument. Now that is another extreme .And they even have special female police officers to prevent crime against women in public.

Why doesn't JR just add an additional train car filled with unassuming anatomically correct, inflatable high school girls for those who just want to "cop a quick feel" but not jeopardize their careers?

girls 1, gropers nil

Too many gropers get away with it for that to be nil... In fact I think they are still winning... I mean, if he actually made 200 gropes, those girls have a long way to go!

Disillusioned thanks for sharing with us, no wonder the people in Japan is very ignorance, your case proves that good person that who want to do something right will end up with spending few hours with Jcop pleading for his innocent.

There's is nothing unusual about that. In Japan, it happens more often than you think and doesn't get reported.

Aspara: I was not aware of that rule. Its odd then that it is openly sold in security shops in Tokyo. Maybe I should just buy her a telescopic club? :) Whack to the hand!

Caught in the act

@Disillusioned

I saw a similar incident in a Department store, on the escalators. A perv was "upskirting" some schoold girls with a video camera he had in his man-bag, which was resting on his knee, just a few cm`s below the hem of the girls skirts. They were going up and I was on the other escalator going down, when I saw it I pointed at him and started yelling that he was filming up the girls skirts and started laughing. It got everyones attention. The guy was so embarrased he took off past the girls up the escaltor.

I know he got away, but it was an effective way to stop him without getting arrested for assault. It is an unfortunate fact of life here that the foreigner will always be the "most suspect" person first, especially where they try to intervene in these situations, but that doesnt mean we shouldnt draw attention to it.

I know he got away, but it was an effective way to stop him without getting arrested for assault. It is an unfortunate fact of life here that the foreigner will always be the "most suspect" person first

Upskirting schoolgirls is about the only time the foreigner WON'T be the most suspect person first!

This is what happens when good samaritans assume too much.

http://www.kansascity.com/437/story/1302445.html

As previous posters mentioned, gaijin should NEVER be tempted to do the good samaritan thing here...it will only end in disaster. If you see one of these train gropers/perverts, just turn the other way. Intervening will mean YOU will end up being a suspect - and who would believe a white fella over the respectable salaryman? Certainly not J-Cops (some of whom are also veteran train-gropers)

Is touching a sex satisfaction??? Please get him a good female shrink to teach him how to respect females.

BurakuminDes-"As previous posters mentioned, gaijin should NEVER be tempted to do the good samaritan thing here...it will only end in disaster. If you see one of these train gropers/perverts, just turn the other way."

So quick to throw your hands in the air? How about alerting a nearby Japanese and pressing him or her to take action? How not even addressing the problem directly and just go ask directions to the station and keep pestering him for details or something stupid like that to ruin the whole thing for gropers or whoever? There is no need to get the cops or even get violent. Just be a pest and act ignorant of the real reason for being there. You think he is going to call the cops? Well, if he does, let him. Then walk away. He gets violent toward you, walk away. You've already ruined it for him. That is all that matters.

...female -> train coach #1 + male -> train coach #2 = no more groping... I don't think it's that hard to implement...unless it is not favorable for the law makers...

200 times since the summer of 2005! The stress of turning 30? What did he do before that, I wonder?

Is touching a satisfaction? duh! of course it is! the human touch is one of the ways we humans get sexually turned on, infact it is probably one of the strongest turn ons for men, right up their with our visual turn on, yes, that is why most men go bonkers when we see a nice pair of Ts and As, simple human sexuality, if you do not know this, then take a wild guess why these pervs on the train are doing it, plus here in Japan, it is a HUGE TABOO to touch others, this is why they bow and not shake hands!

I always love the way they admit to 100s of other incidents like it's so common place for them it's got to be ok. Is this beaten out of them?

elbudamexico, why is your post so faint and difficult to read?

My wife constantly smacks my arm when she finds my hand in the Cornflakes box. She says I am a cereal groper too.

Groping must give intense pleasure in guilty little sweaty sexual buzzes. Definitely a kind of sickness, an addiction like with drugs.

there is something that strikes me as very sad about all of these groping incidents. of course it's frightening for the victims... but it seems that some basic human need (and not just the need for sex) is not being met, which creates people desperate for human touch at any cost.

sorry, i'm probably just over-thinking it because i am tired. it just makes me kind of sad. where is the 'free hugs campaign' when you need them ;)?

If he had tried to grope my Grape Nuts he would be in for a surprise. Oops, serial not cereal, never mind.

@corinnajune I totally agree, poor victims, of course, but I am much more concerned by people who are "hungry" for condemnation, vengeance and punishment. Who the hell knows the real reasons behind such behavior.. I lived in Japan for five years, and I have to admit that the level of stress especially in big cities like Tokyo is too high. Also the lifestyle isn't really in favor of social activities, everyone is too much busy, all day, almost everyday. I bet many poor guys suffer of loneliness and desperation.

What Disgusting Sicko. I'm glad they got him. Hooray for the Girl