“Chikan” – a Japanese phenomenon of groping in public spaces, usually on crowded trains – has been experienced by one in ten people, according to a recent poll.
The survey, conducted for Japan’s Cabinet Office in February, enquired about this experience among 36 000 people. Of those polled, 10.5% said that they had been groped or otherwise sexually harassed.
Of these, 90% were women; and two thirds reported that this had taken place aboard a train.
Japan has attempted to deal with chikan in recent decades. Measures taken include laying on carriages specifically for women, increasing surveillance and policing, and using “anti-groping stamps”, which use invisible ink to mark offenders.
Around 2 000 people were arrested for these offences in 2023. However, many victims did not report the crimes – some 80%, according to the survey.