Harassment of female candidates a growing issue in Japanese politics
Despite moves to draw more women to public office, Japan remains far behind other developed countries, in part due to abuse on the campaign trail.
Two years ago, Zhou Xiaoxuan publicly accused one of China's most recognizable people of groping and forcibly kissing her, setting off a firestorm in a country that did not specify sexual harassment as a legal offense. Last week Zhou and dozens of other women who ...
JR East to test new app for reporting train gropers on notorious Saikyo Line
East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) said Tuesday that it has developed a smartphone app for sharing reports of train gropers that it will test on its Saikyo Line, notorious for the frequency of such incidents. Around 25 passengers including employees of JR East will ...
Trial run in Japan of anti-groping UV stamps sells out within an hour
Following a heated online debate on ways to combat groping and similar behaviors on trains, a name stamp-maker on Tuesday released a new product that can be applied to the offender's hand — leaving the seal mark of an open palm to identify an ...
Saudi sports official hugged female worker at Tokyo hotel: sources
A sports official from Saudi Arabia, in Tokyo for an archery test event ahead of next year's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, made unwanted advances toward a woman working at the Saudi team's Tokyo hotel, sources knowledgeable about the allegation said Saturday. According to the sources, ...
Embracing social media to protect others from danger in Japan
Japan has developed a reputation for being a safe country, an image bolstered by recent record lows in reported crime. The reality, though, is that life in Japan can be just as dangerous as it is overseas. A recent viral post on Twitter sparked ...
Trudeau, facing 2000 journalist groping allegation, says he apologized and did nothing wrong
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a supporter of feminist causes, on Thursday conceded for the first time that he had apologized in 2000 to a woman who accused him of groping her but insisted he did not feel he had done anything wrong. Trudeau, whose ...
Anti-groping poster assuming suspect's guilt removed after triggering online outcry
The Aichi Prefectural Police said Tuesday they will remove all the anti-groping posters recently put up in train stations after an online outcry by people angered at the assumption of guilt of the alleged perpetrators. The headline of the poster in question, which was created ...
'Chikan,' the Japanese term for groping, is increasingly being recognized abroad
Over the past six months, media organizations at home and abroad have published articles that have examined whether or not Japan has embraced the Me Too movement. The social media campaign, which encouraged victims of sexual assault and harassment to speak up about their experiences, ...
Japan struggles to overcome its groping problem
A group of men boarded the women-only car of the Chiyoda Line subway in Tokyo during the morning commute on Feb. 16 as a form of protest, saying that excluding men was a form of discrimination. Such protests are not unusual, but the media ...
Al Franken says he is 'ashamed' but won't quit U.S. Senate over groping accusations
U.S. Sen. Al Franken, trying to salvage his political career, said on Sunday he does not plan to resign but called himself "embarrassed and ashamed" by his behavior toward women who have accused him of groping or inappropriately touching them. Franken, a Democrat and former ...
Men-only train carriages Commuting to work in Tokyo on crowded trains can be a tortuous affair, made worse by groping incidents that occur with a surprising degree of frequency. In an attempt to alleviate the problem, a number of rail operators have designated particular carriages ...
