GRSJ224/Sexual Harassment on Japanese Subways

The term chikan (Japanese: チカン, or ちかん) refers to sexual harassment or other indecent act conducted against the victim's will. The term has been widely used to describe men who inappropriately touch and molest female passengers on busy commuter trains in Japan. While the term is not defined in the Japanese legal system, the term has been highly utilized internationally, including narrative novels and international government websites who warn their citizens who are looking to travel to Japan. For example, on the British Government's official website, it states that "Reports of inappropriate touching or chikan of female passengers on commuter trains are fairly common," as a precaution for those travelling to Japan. Not only is the term becoming more common internationally, but the subject is also generally becoming more socially acceptable for discussion. The circumstances surrounding sexual assaults in Japan on busy subways and trains should be delved deeper as high-profile sexual harassment cases and influential women's magazines and television shows exemplifies the ongoing struggle of women's rights being suppressed and being victims to molestation.

Ongoing Struggles

Sexual Violence

During morning and evening commuting hours, the crowded trains in Japan are male offenders' most frequently targeted location because of the congested environment, which makes it difficult for victims to call out or report the incidents. Not only does the male offender takes advantage of the anonymous-nature of the crowded train, but also the knowledge that the victims' fear of causing a scene will allow them to get away with touching women inappropriately. In a society that trivializes this phenomenon, Japan still has a long-standing problem with sexual violence where the majority of victims stay silent and are unable to express their stories. Majority of the time victims of harassment and assault stay silent because they feel ashamed and even if they do speak up, they are dissuaded to report the incidence.

According to a report by A National Police Agency research group, who analyzed Japan's filled-to-capacity commuter trains relationship to molestation cases, there were 3,217 reported cases of molestation in 2016. However, mental health and welfare professional, Akiyoshi Saito, states, "That's only the tip of the iceberg -- the number of victims is over 100,000 annually." The shocking number of sexual assault reports from railway commuters stands out among developed countries and reveals darker implications of Japan as it is rooted in cultural and societal peculiarities including gender inequality, sexual exploitation of women in media and the lack of attendant rights of individuals.

Gender Inequality

Subjugation of female rights and inequality in the treatment of women in society is still woven deeply in Japan' societal construct to some degree or other. In 2017, Akiyoshi Saito released a book titled, "Otoko ga chikan ni naru riyu" (The reason men become chikan), and indicated that the phenomenon, in contrast to the traditional image of molestation, actually has very little relation to sexual desire. Rather than acting from sexual desire, the male offender typically thinks their indecent behavior are justifiable because they have internalized the value system of male domination, which stems from Japan's highly patriarchal society, and believes that women are inferior to men. The public nature of the act and the non-consensual factor of it attract men to act in this manner. Saito considers chikan to be a type of addiction, and states that it takes approximately three years of cognitive behavioral treatment to make the offender regret their past actions and to change their value system. To prevent the individual from committing the crime again, it would take even more time.

Sexualization of Women

The Tokyo subway can be an eye-opening surprise to newcomers in Japan. Many men openly read Japanese manga, which of many have graphic sex or rape scene in them, and pornography with no apparent embarrassment even with young women and children close by. Interestingly, despite Japanese's orderly image, sexually explicit media are widely accepted and are not considered unusual. The sexualization of women extends to objectifying school girls and often the targets of the subway gropers are teenage girls in school uniforms. School girls is considered extremely sexy by some Japanese men, and pornographic videos and some clubs in Tokyo's sex districts meet such demands by featuring school girl fantasy themes. The influence of media that objectify women's bodies impacts the society as a whole because it not only condones lewd behavior in public, but also sexual violence.

Eradication of the Issue

Women-only Passenger Cars

In Japan, women-only cars were introduced in the 2000's to combat the issue of lewd conduct, particularly groping. Tokyo police asked train companies to help track the alarming number of men who grope women on the subway by setting aside cars for women during rush hour. The notion that police would ask train companies to consider cars where women could ride alone demonstrates the seriousness of the problem and emphasizes that police are taking women's complaints more seriously. Depending on the train service company, the women-only policies varied - some being in effect during rush hour, others throughout the day and some limited women-only cars to rapid service trains. The policy would generally be effective only on weekdays, excluding holidays. The platforms and trains doors are marked with signs indicating boarding areas, and the specific scheduling for women-specific cars.

Critiques

Women-only cars have received a mix of positive and negative feedback from both men and women. Women reported a sense of safety from gropers, while men reported not having to worry about false accusations of being a groper. However, some argue that the presence of the cars would make riding mixed cars more dangerous for women. Likewise, people argue that setting aside specific cars for women is going too far in protecting women, and it can send the signal that men create a dangerous environment for women. Another academic critique argues that the cars not only further the burden of social segregation to women, but it also does not focus on seeking the punishment of the criminals.