Train Pervert Captured Fleeing on Camera

Check out this photo series of a citizen/police cooperative train pervert chase taken by a photographer who just happened to be strolling along in Tokyo Station on a weekday morning. The guy running is one of Japan's many infamous CHIKAN, or train perverts, who inconspicuously grope commuters in uncomfortable, oddly sexual ways while everybody else minds their own business. For the longest time, this problem continued relatively unreported and untreated, but in recent years the train authorities have cracked down by having women-only trains and reporting guidelines that would protect the women from shame.

Although the photos--from the photographer's Flickr set--come with relatively little explanation, this is how I envision that the whole thing happened:

1. Homeboy grabbed the woman's crotch on a train.
2. The woman yelled "CHIKAN!"
3. The train arrived at Tokyo station, and Mr. Perv fleed.
4. Seeing the fleeing Perv, the Businessman with the Determined Look sticks his foot out to trip the suspect.
5. Train cops arrive at the scene and whisk Perv away to face his punishment.

(via Dr. Rogg)

Comments

[vagrant]

Ahhh...done in by the widely known Judo "trip" manuver.

Years ago, I caught a guy looking up a woman's skirt. He didn't even use a mirror! I dispensed some street justice right quick and while he was taking a gander, I crept up on him and said "hey". As his face was level with my knee, it was my choice for a blunt-force instrument. He rolled back and got up and ran.

CHIKAN - huh, I didn't even know that word. I just figured the general phrase of sukebe was used.

[brunom]

Is that common?..

Once i saw a post at a train station in japan..and I read these word...Chikan...but I thougt it was some kind a joke....
My mistake then....:)

Bruno

[sachi0770]

Once I was on a train to Osaka and, as most people do, fell asleep. I woke up about two stops before Shin-Osaka only to realize that the guy next to me had his phone out positioned near my legs.

I sat up straight, turned and stared at him as sternly as I could.

I've never seen someone scramble out of their seat so quickly in my life.

This problem is pretty terrible. In theory I told myself I'd cause a huge scene--but when it happens, it's scary. Luckily, nothing physical happened!

I'm glad to hear that Japanese train officials are breaking down on this problem...it's about time!!

[tommy cuellar]

hey! thanks for posting this! i was the photographer. pardon that huge copyright... alas, no newspapers bit at my offer for the photos, but i wrote a short article on nowpublic.com. you can check it out here: http://www.nowpublic.com/tokyo_subway_groper_busted

i didn't see the gropage happen, personally, but the lady in the striped shirt grabbed his bag as he was trying to run and yelled, "chikan!!" they fell to the ground, he whispered something to there, then grabbed his bag and tore off. the cops were in pursuit, but if it wasn't for the guy tripping him, he possibly would have gotten away. exciting times in tokyo!