Those are two awful stories, but I want to know how they could drag a woman through the train ticketing booth unnoticed??

Here is the article. Sorry for the low quality. Maybe we can get MF or Adamu to translate it. For those that can’t read Japanese here are some quick details: The train was packed, it happened on the Marunouchi Subway line, she was dragged out at Nanba Station right in downtown Osaka (pop 16 million). MF and Adamu, yoroshiku.

I’m starting to think cultural situation in Japan justifies the women-only cars. But I agree whith Younghusband, this is just a solution to a symptom, not the root causes of the problem itself.

Got a funny story about that. There was a reaction against these kinds of accusations and a guy that was wrongly accused started a group that advocated the rights of “victims of victims.” He was very active in the media and the group became quite famous. Then one day the leader was nailed for a chikan act… caught red-handed!

To Adamu re: “indifferent ears”

Here’s another story to illustrate to those that may not know what we are talking about. About 10 years ago in Osaka there was a situation on a train where a woman was being sexually harassed by two men. One woman spoke up to them, and you know what they did? They started harassing her, then when the train stopped dragged her out of the car and down the street where they raped her.

I passed by one of those places in Kabukicho when I went to Tokyo with my cousin visiting from London. They had a big board outside with photographs of the different scenarios you could order. One of them was the lady in a fake traincar, but the thing that really got me was the comic book style speech bubble coming out of her mouth with the words “Yamete kudasai” in it. (English:Please stop it)

Even the ones that are strong enough to report incidents (and this number is increasing every day) are patronized and turned away by police and officials.

Like I said, indifferent ears exist. Especially in Japan.

The point is, Japanese people have this attitude of “what’s my life is my life, and what’s outside is NONE OF MY BUSINESS.” Don’t get me wrong, I see the same thing in DC, but not to the point of ignoring cries for help.

I may not be up on economics or law, but one thing I do understand is the ladies! In the words of one famous poet: “I knows about da hoes!”

I know this sounds harsh, and I hate to be the one to say it, but they were asking for it! Now I don’t mean it is because they wear sexy, revealing clothing or anything (I am definitely not advocating they stop doing that!!), I mean because they don’t say anything. Women in Japan have some serious disempowerment issues. But I can’t blame it all on the women. Even the ones that are strong enough to report incidents (and this number is increasing every day) are patronized and turned away by police and officials.

Obviously the real blame should land on the otaku and oyaji that can’t keep their hands to themselves.

So separate cars can be a good solution in the meantime, while certain societal factors are worked through (empowerment issues, sexual repression, the general lameness of Japanese males…), but it shouldn’t be kept in long enough to actually become part of the society.