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Petition gathers support for men-only train carriages in Japan

16 Comments
By Richard Simmonds, SoraNews24

To continue the French Enlightenment motif: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. Two of theselook to be served with the news in Japan that signatures are being collected for a petition campaigning for the introduction of men-only train carriages alongside their female-only counterparts.

According to a survey earlier this year, a majority of both women and men supported the introduction of men-only carriages. While men riding women-only carriages aren’t technically breaking any law, in most cases they’ll be asked firmly and repeatedly to change carriages by many female passengers.

Women-only carriages can be found on both Japan Rail trains and a number of private and local railways.

womenonlyy.jpg
Photo: WIKIPEDIA

Surprisingly, the problem of chikan, (the Japanese word for perverts who grope others on the street or on public transport) which is one of the main reasons for the perceived continued need for women-only carriages, is also one of the main arguments being put forward for men-only areas. Many male passengers have expressed concern about the potential to be branded a chikan even for inadvertent physical contact on busy trains. This fear of false accusation seems to be the main driving force behind support for men-only carriages. Another supporting claim was that men should also have a place to retreat to if need be, and while incidents of women groping men are comparatively very rare, they’re not beyond the realm of imagination.

The online petition can be found on the petition website change.org and is aiming for a fairly modest 2,500 signatures. Despite both men and women supporting the idea, this hasn’t yet translated into people putting their name to the change, as after a year of being in existence the petition’s number of signatures stands at only 1,741. That said, the number has increased significantly since the petition was featured recently on a number of Japanese social media sites.

People online voiced their opinion on the news, with most being supportive of the petition’s aims, although many questioned the necessity:

“I support this too. If there are women-only carriages, I think there should be men-only carriages too.”

“Who will ride a carriage full of old guys?”

“That sounds like it would stink… but if there were a men-only carriage I’d probably ride it, I suppose.”

“There are loads of guys who feel embarrassed [for riding near women in case they’re looked at as potential perverts] so we have to make this a reality.”

“Just split men and women up like they do with public toilets already.”

While men-only carriages are a step towards equality in a society where women-only carriages are still necessary, it’s to be hoped that this campaign doesn’t detract from measures aiming to remove the causes of this train regulation, namely groping, and then we might have Equality, Fraternity/Sorority and Liberty. On trains, at least.

Source: My Game News Flash

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

-- Majority of Japanese women in poll support idea of men-only train cars

-- Are Women-Only train cars illegal in Japan?

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

© SoraNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

16 Comments
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Agree. there should be a male only carriage. Hell, I'd support 2 male and 2 female only carriages 1 each at the front and back of the trains respectively. the middle carriages can be for couples.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

I'd prefer a better way of detecting chikan and removing them from civilized society...

3 ( +5 / -2 )

More segregation, never a good thing.

Cue the predictable posters banging on about how transgender people will be causing fear by going into the 'wrong' carriage.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

There needs to be more education about chikan. More people willing to stand up and identify a groper. Not easy after the shock of being sexually harassed but I'm not sure train segregation is correct.

That said; women only carriages currently make sense when the chikan are so prevalent.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

get a life what a waste of time

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

How about a carriage for the smelly ones?  They should be asked firmly and repeatedly to change carriages by many non-stinky passengers.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I want a fight-club car, where all who enter must fight, and then it must never be talked about. I also want a singles' car where you go to pick up, but no married people allowed -- that's the swappers' only car. And can we get an old-age car already and a separate car for people who bring on young kids?

I mean, if the solution to not being able to work together is not only NOT equality and inclusion for all, shouldn't we just get complete segregation right and not piecemeal it?

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Can we make a gaijin carriage, too? I'd happily ride in that near empty one day and night.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I'm going to ride whatever car I feel like and not worry about it.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I'm going to ride whatever car I feel like and not worry about it.

Ooooo. You're hard. Henry Rollins, big Jimmy Nail and you.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Women only Cars are a pain. You run to catch your connecting train, only to find the nearest carriage is a Women only one, and the doors are about to close.. so what do you do ?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Get rid of the women only cars and start dealing with the problem, Japan! I know a couple of women who've been groped and the first question asked was if there was a women only car available and if so, why they weren't on it. It means MORE groping, instead of dealing with the problem, and justifies it to an extent. Maybe even encourages it.

And on a personal note, it is also quite annoying when you rush up or down a flight of steps to a train that is soon to depart and find that the car at the bottom of the steps is women only. Sorry, but if they must have them, put them at the front or back of the train (or both).

0 ( +0 / -0 )

How about an LGBTIQ carriage?

And one for each type.

It would be discrimination not to provide them.

Why do you bring up LGBT in unrelated topics?

The problem stems down to men groping women; do you think that women only carriages should continue and men only should be introduced?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Umm....problem solved?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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