Members of the new anti-groping squad pose outside JR Omiya Station on Thursday.

Saitama police launch new unit to prevent groping on trains

Friday 25th September, 10:01 AM JST

SAITAMA —

In an effort to clamp down on groping and molestation aboard trains, the Saitama Prefectural police force launched a new unit comprising some 150 officers, mostly women, outside JR Omiya station on Thursday. Members of the new “Elimination of Molestation Patrol” unit handed out fliers at the station and patrolled various trains throughout the prefecture.

The team had its first success later in the day, when a plain-clothed female officer witnessed a man touching a high school girl aboard a train on the JR Takasaki line. The officer worked her way through the crowd and typed out a message on her cell phone declaring she was an officer and asking the girl if she had been molested, and showed the girl the message. The girl nodded and the officer apprehended the man - a 32-year-old unemployed resident of Kawagoe City.

According to police statistics, there were 106 reported cases of groping aboard trains in Saitama in the first eight months of this year, with many of them occurring during the morning rush.

Mihoko Akiyama, an assistant inspector, said: “I hope that victims get the courage to raise their voice, instead of simply putting up with the situation.”

News reports

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Latest 15 of 66 Total Comments Show All

KitsuneYoukai at 01:34 AM JST - 26th September

Not really...a perv's intent will always prevail and he/she will have to do it. If these ladies are in plain clothes they'll catch some.
Tommygun at 02:17 AM JST - 26th September

This is good. About time they did something about these sickos.
S7ro9kGm3aQ at 02:50 AM JST - 26th September

The officer worked her way through the crowd and typed out a message on her cell phone declaring she was an officer and asking the girl if she had been molested, and showed the girl the message.

Ummm. What?
dasyhard at 08:26 AM JST - 26th September

Is this Japan's version of a "QRF" (quick reactionary force)?, SHEESH! Instead of using young females, why don't they hire Sumo wrestlers or some mean looking Samurais with swords displayed by their side and this to me is a much greater deterrent than female officers who might just get groped too.
Osakadaz at 08:41 AM JST - 26th September

Shaolin7> exactly! I would be more than happy to intervene if it was my wife etc,but I have been charged for assault before in Japan,and we have all seen the anti-violence posters on Japanese trains.Most of us can imagine who will get the benefit of the doubt if blows are exchanged,even if acting in self-defence.I read of people making citizen's arrests on gropers here and physically restraining them..what is the legality of that? It is technically assault. What would happen if you grabbed a perp, just for the Japanese female to deny she had been groped in the first place? Not too hard to imagine happening for these eyes.The public need to be informed as to their rights and the proper course of action if such an event is witnessed.
kirakira25 at 09:53 AM JST - 26th September

I think whatever our good intentions it is VERY difficult for foreigners - and most people here are - to be able to step in when faced with a situation like this. We all know of stories or have personal experiences of prejudice by the police. I myself was arrested with my two children when falsely accused of "attacking" a man with my pram. With my 1 year old baby in it! (The truth was he tried to upend it with his foot but lied to the police and they automatically believed him!)

In the face of this, whatever our good intentions, what can we possibly do? I would love to step in and help someone in trouble, but I am almost scared to these days.

This is a problem with society - with pervs who think it is OK to feel up young girls because the "go-ahead" is everywhere - manga, magazines, TV, Lolicon etc, and with girls raised to be quiet and demure and not fight back, and with a police force who generally really don`t take a lot of these reports seriously.

You can bet these guys wouldn`t try it so easily if they thought they were going to wind up named, shamed, prosecuted, or even if the girls learned to fight back.

If I see a girl being attacked on a train (because "attack" is the right word for this) I probably will still step in whatever the consequences because my conscience wouldn`t let me walk away. As for myself and my own daughter (and sons because as someone rightly pointed out women are not always the victims here) - well, I double dare them to try something!
Midnightpromise at 02:26 PM JST - 26th September

Groping is not acceptable behavior, however, that being said, just what does the public expect the police to do about it? It seems that even the victim can not open their mouth in protest even when in public as it happens? Just how much do you think big brother can do for you? Grow up and take care of yourselves, or at the least protest LOUDLY, ok? Geesh
dolphingirl at 03:06 PM JST - 26th September

'The public needs to be informed as to their rights and the proper course of action if such an event is witnessed'. --Good point.

Personally, I think gropers are cowards so it doesn't take much to stop them. Once I saw a young girl being humped by an old man on the train. (it wasn't even very crowded) After I realized that no one else was going to do anything, I just tapped him on the shoulder and he got off at the next stop. The cops can only do so much. We have to look out for each other!
Shaolin7 at 06:35 PM JST - 26th September

I understand the need to be especially cautious, particularly with certain segments of the police dept., but no one is saying you need to break the guy's jaw. You're simply speaking up and using the tools available i.e. in this case, the culture of shame and "face" by pointing him out and if necessary, holding him for police (I'm thinking of a case fairly recently where I believe a 17 year old was being groped, and crying, when a fellow passenger stopped and held the guy until police arrived).

Being a foreigner certainly carries with it some baggage depending on all those involved, but if the girl / guy is visibly upset and not saying anything, I'm sorry...but you need to do something. We can't just turn a blind eye to things like this, regardless of consequences.
Bazza at 06:57 PM JST - 26th September

The invention I'm currently working on will be a Godsend to women, police, and also the falsely accused.

My "electric knickers" are designed to deliver a shock to any chikans coming into contact therewith.

The current can be varied to suit the mood/general vindictiveness of the wearer, delivering anything from a mild tingle to an incontinence-inducing 500v. Justice is delivered swiftly only to those making physical contact. A range of attractive bras in pastel and Disney-character designs will follow this autumn.

There have been teething problems: wearer electrocution was one as was sparks "jumping" between wearer and hand rails/metallic accessories/old ladies' fillings.

One final warning: don't forget to turn then off before you go on a date girls!!
S7ro9kGm3aQ at 12:05 AM JST - 27th September

I read of people making citizen's arrests on gropers here and physically restraining them..what is the legality of that? It is technically assault. What would happen if you grabbed a perp, just for the Japanese female to deny she had been groped in the first place? Not too hard to imagine happening for these eyes.The public need to be informed as to their rights and the proper course of action if such an event is witnessed.

I follow a basic premise as a foreigner in Japan: don't ever touch a Japanese person for any reason whatsoever. Ever. (Cue a slew of lame gf/wife jokes)

Now, back home is another matter entirely. Cracks knuckles
ultradodgy at 09:41 AM JST - 27th September

One exception - I've stepped in when some gaijin is assaulting / abusing a Japanese woman. Only in cases like that am I not worried about the situation being twisted by the police.
rjaspl at 01:10 PM JST - 28th September

How come there are no complaints about women groping men. Oh ya, men would enjoy the attention.
LFRAgain at 03:06 PM JST - 28th September

S7ro9kGm3aQ,

" . . . Ummm. What?"

One of the biggest obstacles to tackling the groping/molestation problem on trains is that victims are hesitant to draw attention to themselves out of embarrassment or humiliation. They don't want to scream out, "Molester!" at the top of their lungs, alerting everyone around them, much like rape victims in the West don’t particularly like the idea of advertising their victimization in the press. So it makes catching these asshats even more difficult.

The police officer communicating with the girl via a typed out message was a way of keeping the offense discreet, preserving the victim’s dignity, while giving the officer the opportunity to verify an attack in a way that didn’t alert the perpetrator, giving him a chance to flee.

dasyhard,

" . . . some mean looking Samurais with swords displayed by their side . . . "

Just as there are no longer cowboys having shootouts at the O.K. Corral, there are not longer any samurai wandering the streets of modern Japan. There haven't been for about 120 years now.
dbung10 at 02:48 PM JST - 29th September

Rjaspl - what an ill-judged and inflammatory comment!

How come there are no complaints about women groping men. Oh ya, men would enjoy the attention.

imagine if someone said similar things about a girl 'enjoying the attention'. Its this kind of attitude that perpetuates the whole sorry affair. At least the J police are finally getting the idea and taking it seriously. I am a male, have been groped on the train by a female and i did not 'enjoy the attention'.