There’s a lot to like about Tokyo’s trains and subways, which are clean, convenient, and reliable. That doesn’t mean they’re always a joy to ride, though. At rush hour, the trains are packed to a comical, and sometimes even painful, degree, as commuters are pressed into one another on the crowded carriages.
Even worse, sometimes gropers, called chikan in Japanese, take advantage of these congested conditions to feel up victims. With the trains being so crowed, it can be difficult to quickly discern that the touching in intentional and where it’s coming from, often allowing the chikan to make an escape and exit the train before being identified, confronted, or apprehended.
As a countermeasure, some rail operators designate certain cars as for female passengers only. Not every line in Tokyo has them, but the number that do is about to get a little larger, as the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation has announced that women-only cars are going to be instituted on the Oedo Line.
The Oedo Line is the newest line in the Toei Subway network that the Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation runs. Among the neighborhoods it passes though are Shinjuku, Shiodome, Daimon, Roppongi, and Aoyama. Those are some of the most office-dense districts in the city, which means crowded commuter trains, and so starting in mid-January, Car 4 of Oedo Line trains will be designated “Women Only” during the morning rush on weekdays.
▼ Notices will be posted on the car’s exterior as well as on the section of the platform/platform gates where Car 4 stops.
The women-only rule for Car 4 will be in effect for:
● All trains between 7 and 8:30 a.m.that began at Hikarigaoka Station and departed in the direction of Roppongi and Daimon Stations
● All trains between 7:15 and 8:10 a.m. that began at Tochomae Station and departed in the direction of Iidabashi and Ryogoku Stations
▼ It sounds complicated, but that’s because the Oedo Line has an unusual fishhook shape. Essentially, the entire line will be covered by the women-only rule for Car 4 during the weekday morning rush.
While some rail operators designate women-only cars for both mornings and evenings, a morning-only system isn’t all that unusual. The logic is that while most office jobs in Japan start at 8 or 9, the time that people are leaving work varies by company and individual, and may or may not coincide with the time that workers are actually going home. Between overtime, company drinking parties, and personal socializing and leisure in downtown, the rail passenger flow on weekday nights isn’t nearly as concentrated in a small block of time as the morning rush.
The Oedo Line becomes the second Toei Subway to introduce women-only cars, following the Shinjuku Line in 2005. While the cars are designated as “women-only,” though, the Bureau of Transportation included in the announcement a clarification that boys elementary school age and younger, adult men with mobility issues, and their caretakers are also allowed to use Car 4 during the “women-only” time blocks.
The women-only cars go into effect on January 18.
Source: Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation via IT Media
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- Majority of Japanese men in their 20s say they want men-only train cars in survey
-- Tokyo train adding family-only cars to evening commuter express in March
-- Majority of Japanese women in poll support idea of men-only train cars
- External Link
- https://soranews24.com/2022/12/05/one-of-tokyos-busiest-subway-lines-is-adding-women-only-cars/
34 Comments
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Padraig Bohannan
As long as it ain’t the first cars near the gate it’s a good idea. Would hate to be rushing to catch the train only to met with “death from a thousand stares”
sakurasuki
Still there is no male only car for male to avoid false allegation, they just turn into insurance for this.
https://japantoday.com/category/crime/japan-men-take-out-%27groper-insurance%27-against-sex-pest-claims
TokyoLiving
Excellent !!..
GO TOKYO !!
Best city of the world !!..
Politik Kills
So, rather than educating boys and young men that disrespecting girls and women is wrong, rather than addressing the actual societal problem, let’s just accentuate the misogyny and patriarchy that creates the problem in the first place by separating women from men.
Must be the cheaper option, or the easiest…
tora
Just go all out and alternate them with every other carriage female only and get it done with. It will end the chikan issue for ever.
Another nail in the segregation of society here. Already female only yoga, bars, entertainment options. Hardly see people dating here. Women only parties (called Joshi Kai).
Next step will be complete segregation at work/school too.
Another reason why males/females here mostly really uncontrollable around each other. You know the long-term consequences of this. They can already be seen.
Coulda been
It took 17 years for the Toei network to implement a second line where a women only carriage was available?
Must have been doing an assessment of its viability!
Antiquesaving
More like the slower to act in the developed world.
Remember this is very very very late compared to the rest and is Tokyo government owned.
So private companies were better at acting than the Tokyo government.
Mark
TERRIBLE IDEA, might as well add a Men's only car and start this ugly war.
Mark
This will lead our children to think that something is wrong with the opposite sex, predators like system like in some other countries where women are covered head to toe.
Antiquesaving
It is a bit ironic that this is happening and not just Japan.
Years ago in many countries there actually were women only commuter rail cars and buses but women's rights groups demanded they be abolished.
Now many places are bringing them back but why care, just say you identify as a woman and use whichever you want.
Isn't that how gender fluidity works?
Mark
Treat men like predators and they will become one, this is what is happening in other parts of the world.
Antiquesaving
Too late, in the west it is no point soccer (participation medals for all) gender fluidity start in preschool along with drag queen reading time.
So this is the least of societies experiments that will mess up kids heads.
But as I pointed out, if you or I today decide to identify as a woman, then according to the groups and experts advising progressive governments like NZ and Canada then you are a woman and entitled to use the women only car.
So no problem.
Padraig Bohannan
My biggest fear of living in Japan is being falsely accused of being a groper. I've lived in many countries and never had this fear in any other. This is because once accused, guilty or not, you're life here is over. That cannot be right for an innocent man.
Once accused you should be bailed and properly investigated before the cops decide to end your life.
REDWhiteBlue
And in New York and London? They still don't have them.
Must still be doing an assessment of its viability!
noriahojanen
Women only cars don't eliminate the same sex groping cases which are also often reported.
A smarter solution for Tokyo is to encourage the de-centralisation and de-population of key downtown areas where so many people are commuting in near-deadly packed train cars. With opportunity given, groping behaviors are also a physio-structural problem.
Tokyo should tackle the overcrowding problem as it has something to do with the quality of urban life, and the public safety as well.
Antiquesaving
Before commenting try a quick google search
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/rape-statistics-by-country
Clearly Japan has a far lower problem than most western countries.
The number one problem here is groping as the west it is full on rape and most are date rape.
The custom or culture of not going back to someones apartment in Japan is a Large factor.
You go to a love hotel you know why you are there after hours drinks at the guys apartment in Japan is rare and that single factor makes a big difference.
Check before accusing.
girl_in_tokyo
Padraig BohannanToday 08:50 am JST
Funny, because my biggest fear taking the train every day is that I'll be groped, yet again.
And my biggest fear in being a woman in Japan is being raped and having to deal with the Japanese police, who are absolutely notorious for disbelieving women and protecting men. Go figure.
Antiquesaving
I did and I actually posted a link and facts, you just made claims as usual no facts or links.
Even when to post a figure you then say that is not right because your feelings tell you so.
126,000,000 people 2000 incident but if course you say more, would you like to give us the number you like?
You are good at the victim angle but when presented with facts and situations that counter your victim angle your only reply is to say all facts are wrong unless they are yours
girl_in_tokyo
AntiquesavingToday 09:28 am JST
You said "check before accusing" and I presented you with the stats for that. You can ignore that, or admit you are wrong. Your call.
Sure. But there are TONS of scams of all types, including scams that target lonely women, lonely men, elderly. What is your point, then? To muddy the water and pretend that men have more to worry about from scams than women have to worry about actual sexual assault on public transport? That sats say more than 2,000 women are assaulted every year, and that only 4% of rapes are reported. So clearly, that is not the case.
Are stats to be believed or not?
Ricky Kaminski13
Apparently, segregation is the answer in the 21st century. Never saw that one coming!
Padraig Bohannan
girl_in_tokyo
im sorry if you have been a victim of this terrible problem.
slap him… scream. If I’m on that train you could be sure I’d grab him for you.
stay safe.
girl_in_tokyo
Jexan Today 01:24 pm JST
We also "discriminate" against men in that they are not allowed into women-only spaces such as changing rooms and bathrooms. This is, as you know, to protect womens' privacy and prevent sexual harassment and assault.
And, as the purpose of the women-only cars is to protect women from being groped by male passengers, you are, in effect, saying that mens' rights are being violated in them not being allowed access to women-only spaces for the purpose of sexually assaulting female passengers.
I'm pretty sure that this type of discrimination cannot be seen as unjust.
girl_in_tokyo
Padraig BohannanToday 02:01 pm JST
Thank you for this. It's appreciated. I do hope you help any women who need it.
Just so you know, I've been in Tokyo for 30 years now. When I was younger I was much more terrified when things like this would happen, but as I've gotten older I've become less afraid and more angry.
The last time a salaryman groped me, which was this past summer, I yelled and cursed at him and told him that if he didn't stop touching me I would rip his arm off.
I find saying things like this to be quite effective, whether in English or Japanese. LOL.
Antiquesaving
I will say it again as no one seems to have an answer.
Why does Japan have Chikan insurance, why do companies cover their executives for such things?
Any other country have such a thing? No !
The reality is in Japan muggings are rare, carjacking rare, armed robberies rare, extortion especially by Gangs using the Chikan accusations are common.
You have car insurance, fire, earthquake, flood insurance in Japan because the chance is high you may need it. You don't have meteorite insurance because it is highly unlikely.
So never heard of groping accusation insurance in North America or Europe.
But it is a common thing in Japan.
Mull that one over in your head.
girl_in_tokyo
AntiquesavingToday 07:58 pm JST
Hm. It can't be because Japan is a risk-adverse culture, and because companies cash in on people's fears, can it?
Nah. That's too logical. It must be because men in Japan are in extreme and ever-persistent danger from false accusations since there are hundreds, if not thousands, of false accusations resulting in guilty verdicts. After all, those 2,000+ cases per year can't ALL be real accusations, right?
I bet I'm lying myself, and all those times I was groped and grabbed and perved on were just my imagination!
By jove, I think he's solved it! It's MASS HALLUCINATIONS.
toolonggone
I've lived in Japan for over 2 & 1/2 decades, am related to and friends with many men and not a one has ever stated that they've been falsely accused of sexual assault. I'm also related to and friends with many women, many of whom have been groped and or sexually assaulted and the majority of whom have either not reported the incidents because police actively discouraged them not to or they felt somehow ashamed and as if they'd be blamed or that it wasn't worth it because nothing would be done anyway. I know that's not the answer you're looking for so do with that information what you will. If your posts are any indication, it will be to conveniently ignore it and contiune suggesting that men are the real victims.