crime

Train groper escapes along tracks at Ebisu station in Tokyo

33 Comments

A man suspected of groping a woman on the JR Yamanote line escaped by jumping onto the tracks at JR Ebisu station in Tokyo on Thursday night. His actions delayed trains along the Yamanote line for about 30 minutes, TBS reported Friday.

According to police, the man groped the woman in her 20s on the train running between Meguro and Ebisu at around 7:15 p.m. Thursday. After the woman cried out, other passengers grabbed the man. Upon arriving at Ebisu station, however, the man managed to free himself, jumped from the platform onto the tracks and fled.

The man's shirt came off in the scuffle. He jumped over the fence and ran away, TBS reported.

Police said the suspect appeared to be in his 30s, of thin build and about 170 cms tall. He was wearing jeans.

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33 Comments
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Stupid ... ugly end of his day.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

May God Ebisu help j-police to catch this suspect.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Well, I'm sure that provided considerable entertainment to onlookers.

Played to the Benny Hill theme or 007, pick one.

Or the shorter version which included a train coming the other way.

(All assuming he really was guilty)

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Another day another pathetic weasely groper runs away to hide with his mom!

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

we need more women to do this in japan. maybe then groping would stop.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

If true what an idiot, but since that teacher took 3 years to clear his name for a simular offence and there even was video proving he didn't do it I wouldn't jump to conclusions about anything

7 ( +11 / -4 )

got away clean!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Why does the title say "Train groper" instead of "Alleged train groper"? He could easily be innocent, this is a he-said she-said.

5 ( +11 / -6 )

These guys stop off for a few drinks on their way home from work and think they can cover up what they do by pretending to be drunk. Many women confronted with a groper on a crowded train choose to flee rather than cry out or resist.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

jumpultimatestars

I doubt he is innocent. In that situation, an innocent man would not risk his life and jump onto the tracks. He'd stay there and heatedly proclaim he is innocent. I know that's what I'd do.

Besides, if he is innocent, what could he hope to achieve by running? Does he think he can just go home and show up for work the next day as if nothing happened? He'll be looking over his shoulder and panic every time he sees a policeman.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

@Brainiac If you were to heatedly proclaim your innocence, Brainiac, you would be found guilty and sent to jail without a doubt. Attorney Takashi Nozawa has said the following as a public service announcement to men wrongfully accused of groping: "the number one thing I cannot recommend is trying to plead your innocence in open court. You need to provide evidence proving way beyond a reasonable doubt that you did not grope the accuser, and you have to do this in a court where there is a 99-percent conviction rate for such cases. If caught in such a situation, what should one do? First off would be to run away from the scene, this is one of the most rational responses when considered from a probability perspective. Your first thought is more than likely wanting to prove your innocence, however, in groping cases this is extremely difficult."

This is a well known fact by most men who have to commute in Japan.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Nice source there jumpultimatestars!

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I doubt he is innocent. In that situation, an innocent man would not risk his life and jump onto the tracks. He'd stay there and heatedly proclaim he is innocent. I know that's what I'd do.

As jumpultimate says, you'd be professing your innocence all the way to jail. That's after you spend three weeks in holding cells without being charged, being pressured every day to sign a confession 'so you can go home tonight'. Are you ready to to claim to be innocent during three weeks of daily interrogations?

Unfortunately the legal system in this country is not so concerned with innocence. When it comes to groping, there's no 'he-said-she-said', there's only 'she-said'.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

What is wrong with some men? I don't get it at all. I am a guy and I have never considered groping a woman no matter how sexy she was. How ridiculous.

On the other hand, my wife and daughter were looking at twitter and it said that they were informing their passengers over the PA system in this way;

First announcement: Someone has jumped onto the tracks. Please wait a little bit while we catch the person. Second announcement: We are chasing the person at this moment. Please wait a little more, please. Third announcement: We are losing him. Please wait a little more, please.

I am sure that the passengers really wanted them to catch the suspect for disrupting their commutes but I also love how the Yamanote Line tried to keep them up to date with their progress.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

i guess no one wanted to be the hero that day and heed pursuit of the perpetrator.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@IparryU http://en.rocketnews24.com/2013/05/14/guilty-and-never-proven-innocent-every-male-train-riders-nightmare-in-japan/

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Why would some person want to grope anyone in such a public place. They have plenty of clubs and places where you can contact with pretty girls. That seems so foolish to do something like that in a train. I mean you are in a crowded train and you are going to rub up against other people. You can't avoid it. So there should be an element of understanding and politeness expected from people on trains. I hope that guy is caught if he is guilty. He no doubt has some mental problems if he is guilty. The only people who know the truth is the lady and the man. He must have had quite the struggle if they torn his shirt from his body.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Given the life-destroying three weeks in custody regardless of innocence, who wouldn't go North by NorthWest?"

3 ( +5 / -2 )

I suspect this guy will be captured shortly. I'm pretty sure I would remember a shirtless guy running past me.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Ought to be lots of cellphone pics of that guy.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The guy felt he had more to lose than just the shirt off his back. Its interesting reading the comments maybe the guy did grope her or maybe his hand incidentally brushed her on a CROWDED train and the women scream if you are a guy and you really don't want to face trying to prove your innocence just as the teacher who was accused and spent 3 years trying to clear his innocence what would you do and to all the foreigners if this would have been you think about what you are up against so think before you call someone an idiot fool because one mistake and this could be you

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

They got his shirt. They got his dna.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Hopefully, somebody at Ebisu Station took out a camera-equipped cellphone and took video of the person leaving the scene. That will help police identify the "perp" involved.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I would like to see some statistics of how many men are convicted of crimes they never committed, not just gropping cases, but all cases... If the public put too much pressure on the jcops, they will find someone to blame, cause that's all the people want... someone to blame.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I hope he doesn't get caught.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

We've talked about this before. Running is the best policy, guilty or not, due to the conviction rate. Prosecutors are not concerned with justice, just their careers. A 100% conviction rate looks good on their resume, and in this type of case its sooo easy, especially with the "guilty till proven innocent" mindset.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It's surprising that some people are defending this guy by commenting that he is innocent. Clearly they haven't seen the hardship women face in Tokyo trains. This is not the US where you are innocent until proven guilty. Most people who are accused in Japan are infact guilty. It's a fact regardless of how the confessions are obtained. Stop comparing US law to Japan because circumstances are different. This guy is a scum and needs to be brought to justice. The innocent school teacher being innocent and wrongfully convicted is an isolated case

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

between meguro and ebisu is 2 minute travel...and the guy is accused of groping the girl, then was subdued in a span of 2 minutes, then the guy ran away. I saw a incident when a girl rush into the train and behind her was a man then suddenly she started to make scene when the man can not clearly move away from her, becuuse he was at the door when this girl rushed in giving him no chance to move and when the door closed whe had her body pushed into the man, the man tried to move his hands and the girl freak out and said the man is groping her...if things could have gotten ugly i was willing to testify about the man's innocence, but the guy decided to bolt out on the next station. Pathetic lady.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

This is not the US where you are innocent until proven guilty. Most people who are accused in Japan are infact guilty.

Perhaps true but How can you say for sure? Can people Not make mistakes?

Stop comparing US law to Japan because circumstances are different.

No one has even mentioned US law. It is common sense in most countries that you must prove guilt before punishment. Any legal system that can't recognize this fundamental aspect of justice is a third world legal system and something to be laughed at rather than respected. And no the circumstances are Not different. A person can be wrongfully accused in any country. This notion that this society is special is just an excuse to remain backward an unchanging.

The innocent school teacher being innocent and wrongfully convicted is an isolated case.

Once again, How do you know? This is just your speculation. People who think like that are the reason Japanese legal system is a joke and untrustworthy. Too much faith is put in the honesty and accuracy of the accuser. Who can honestly respect such a system.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It's surprising that some people are defending this guy by commenting that he is innocent.

No one has claimed that in this thread, so it's not clear exactly what you are talking about.

Clearly they haven't seen the hardship women face in Tokyo trains.

Women facing hardship in the trains does not make this guy guilty. If he groped the girl he is guilty. If he didn't, he isn't. That is the only deciding factor, not hardships that other women may face on the trains in Tokyo.

Your claiming he is guilty based on the fact that some women sometimes get groped on trains is as wrong as it would be for someone to claim he is innocent without any supporting information. However, no one has claimed he is innocent, while you are proclaiming his guilt.

Most people who are accused in Japan are infact guilty.

How do you know?

Stop comparing US law to Japan because circumstances are different.

You are the only one who has mentioned US law.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Run free! I am a tad superstitious... the facts are not clear. This is a great place to blog about but not a place to pass judgement. WE don't know what happened!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Plenty of subways and trains in the USA... and why are there very little groping incidents in the USA... because the female would immediately scream and probably hit the guy... and any other passengers nearby might also beat the guy up. I'll bet the same would happen in China... this is a case where Japan's culture of not sticking out or making a scene was not a virtue.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

He was wearing jeans......without a shirt.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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