I don’t know whether you are aware of it or not, but groping on trains is not exactly uncommon in Japan. It’s so prevalent in fact, that it could almost be viewed as a hobby. That’s no exaggeration either (well, not much of one), as why else would there be a need for women only carriages? Yes, sadly that’s how far train operators have had to go to in an attempt to stop such behaviour.
Fairly recently though, women have at last begun fighting back. Singling out perpetrators on the train, and reporting them to station officials. The only down side to this is that unfortunately some men have been falsely accused.
This is when 47 year-old Mitsuru Nagasaki stepped up to join the fray. Kindly taking it upon himself to help a group of falsely accused men. Now the only problem with this is that he has gone and got himself a suspended six month prison sentence.
And for what? Surreptitiously taking a photograph up the skirt of a woman sitting opposite him on the subway. That’s what.
His is definitely the kind of help most of us could really do without.
taro says
A “standard” (inane) question that all Japanese are required by law to ask aliens is: “What is your hobby?”
I always have answered, “CHIKAN desu.” (Molester)…Not one Japanese in 20+ years balked at that hobby. Go figure.
Alex says
Interesting entry today. I actually found that there’s a group of women out there who are fighting back by doing the same thing…Two wrongs don’t make a right, but I have yet to meet a man who feels upset when he gets felt up by a woman.
Lee says
Yeah, that’s very true. I don’t think many men will argue with that.