To root out the problems of groping and false charges, fundamental efforts, such as reducing congestion on trains and courts carefully examining all the facts, are needed.

Well, you can't fault him on those points. He's obviously been to hell & back fighting for his innocence! Having worked in Tokyo for almost a decade, I can't see any viable solution to the congestion problem. 1/4 of Japan's population commutes in & out of the city on weekdays! They can't add any more trains as most are only minutes apart. Tokyo needs to be decentralised, but of course this will never happen...

There should be men only cars and many more women only cars.

After that, as for the mixed cars, women should be taught and trained to ask those around them for help to make the groping stop. But otherwise, its just his word against hers, and such cases should go past hauling a man to the police, unless he confesses.

An ounce of prevention is worth much more than a cure that is impossible.

How about needing proof before convicting anybody?

Any "justice" system that prosecutes based SOLELY on testimony is deeply flawed.

How about cameras on all trains?

How about girls who falsely accuse dudes get put in jail for YEARS and held liable for $$$.

@Reckless, that's a pretty good suggestion. But unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of the morning commuter rush is composed of people who don't pay for their tickets (their companies pay).

There are several big changes that have to happen to make this work... and I have no expectation that they will ever come to fruition.

1) Decrease the crowding on trains. The only ways I can imagine to do it are impossible (A- chair seating only = significantly less capacity or B- a set amount of passengers per car, without freedom to move from car to car unless staff = increased time embarking/disembarking even if done digitally)

2) Male only or Female only train cars. Only.... yeah not likely.

3) Require that the walking aisle be clear at all times and put a police officer on every train, walking the line. That cuts into company profits..so...yeah no.

What can I say, sexually repressed people in a small box packed like sardines with other timid people... what could go wrong?

Blatant censorship of the facts presented at court are a severe problem.

Interestingly, the women only carriages that we already have tend to be significantly less crowded than the mixed carriages (as anyone who, like me, has accidentally boarded several times will attest!). This begs an interesting question - why don't more women pile onto the women only carriages?

This begs an interesting question - why don't more women pile onto the women only carriages?

I can't speak for other women, but in my case it's simple: the women-only cars are located in really inconvenient parts of the train, especially if you are, like me, making a dash for the exits as soon as you disembark. I always pick the carriage that is closest to the main exit, and usually this is several carriages away from the ladies' one.

accidentally boarded several times

Heh heh! Sure it was accidental! :)

Hi Tessa absolutely, women-only carriages are ludicrously inconveniently placed, which prompts the question of accidental male boarding, it ok ADK99 I believe you......

Unfortunately, there is no simple solution and congestion commuting in a train is an inescapable condition living in a large modern city with a large mass of people. As for groping maybe they should have a campaign to warn men who grope women that they are committing a crime and such behavior is not only unwelcome and unacceptable, but it constitutes sexual assault and is a serious crime. There's no excuse period. You get sick of men saying it was a bit of fun etc. Don't grab, grope, pinch, fondle because it's all unacceptable. In the end women are tired of nasty groping men.

There is only one way to ease crowing on trains. Decentralization of urban centers. Good luck if that. Meanwhile male only cars are the most practical solution.

@It'sonlyrockandroll, and some others:

Sure, the guys boarding the female-only trains are probably creeps, but technically they're not breaking any laws...just bad manners.

If I was tired and wanted to avoid the sardine cars, I might "accidentally" board a girls-only train as well just for the breathing room and, perhaps, a seat?

I got on the women's only car one time by mistake. I never ride the train during the times when the cars are in effect, so I'm not used to them. I was coming back from somewhere in the morning, riding one of the early morning trains. I got on, sat down, and was there for a few minutes before I realized the car was quite empty (relative to other cars), and there were only women on it. I got up and moved to the next car over.

I don't have never lived in Tokyo nor visited regularly, yet I too have boarded the women's only train by mistake a couple of times. I left when I realized.

The thing is, if I find myself in Tokyo its rarely rush hour and I am rarely in a rush myself. That means I have time to move down away from where I know its likely people are going to pool. I hate crowds. I avoid them.

But I tell you what, when women tell us they cannot be bothered to make any effort to get to the women's only trains, it really kills male desire to help them and male anger when they wind up groped and complaining....not during the groping, but sometime after.....sigh. Most of us guys want to help, but so many women seem bent to put themselves in bad positions and further, push the good, helpful guys away.

Hi kaynide, fair enough, creep does sound harsh.

Taking into account I have never once been targeted by a groper, and to face a deliberate false accusation must be pursed and prosecuted as a serious crime.

Women only carriages are clearly not a final solution to prevent or discourage the serial groper. To make the boarding of a women only carriage an offense, then set about active enforcement is neither desired are practicable.

A higher visible level of uniformed transport police to deter the opportunist groper would be a step in the right direction. And the use of local community centers to advise on how to deal with these degenerates in a given situation should be pursued.

@kanide, I don't think Tokyo has a problem with men occasionally boarding the women only carriage. I've certainly done it a couple of times, but in each case it's been where I have arrived on platform at the very end of the train and have run to get on as the doors were closing. As with @Strangerland, I rectified my mistake at the next station. This carriage is not where the groping (or false accusations) is happening.

I should probably clarify my stance: I have no problem with men riding the women-only cars and think the idea that they even need to exist is foolishness.

The sentence that the " guys riding are probably creeps " was not meant to anyone specifically so much as it was a blanket statement to protect me from downvotes for saying "but they arent doing anything wrong".

That said, the youtube video where a woman is screaming her head off at a man for riding the ladies car def. made me want to steer clear...