A video of a Japanese man allegedly trying to “trap” a woman and inappropriately touch her on the subway recently went viral online.
The clip, which garnered more than 10 million views, reignited the discourse about the high number of harassment incidents that take place in Japan’s trains and buses.
Some called the man in the video a “chikan,” a Japanese term used to describe both s*xual ab*se on public transport and the perpetrators who commit the offense.
Highlights
- A video exposing a Japanese man’s alleged attempt to “trap” and harass a woman on the subway recently went viral, gathering over 10 million views.
- The accused was labeled by some as a “chikan” offender, an issue that female Japanese commuters have faced for a long time.
- A 2023 documentary exposed a criminal network in Japan that perpetuated acts of harassment on public transport and exploited the victims for money.
“It's really pathetic and shameful,” one user wrote under the video.
Netizens bashed a Japanese man for an alleged “trap” to violate women
Image credits: Unsplash/Alex Eckermann
The video, shared on May 11, 2026, by a concerned user on X, showed a man sitting on an end seat, with his hand on the steel bars, fingers on the outside.
The man was wearing black trousers, a blue checkered shirt, and a dark jacket, and was carrying two bags, one between his legs and the other on his lap. In his other hand, held across the bag, was his mobile phone, its camera facing upward.
Image credits: Levent Simsek/Pexels (Not the real image)
A woman in a black dress and white shoes was standing in front of the sliding doors, leaning on the bars. Toward the end of the short clip, the woman notices his hand and moves away.
The user alleged that the man had deliberately placed his hand on the bars in that manner in an attempt to touch the woman without her consent.
“The type of mol*ster who sets a ‘trap’ by placing their hand in advance and waiting to be touched from the b*tt side,” they wrote. “Truly, the eyes of a predator eyeing its prey.”
Image credits: Tuğçe Açıkyürek/Pexels (Not the real image)
Other netizens agreed with the poster, sharing photos and videos of similar instances and calling out its prevalence in Japan.
“Why do these kinds of people all have the same look in their eyes?” one said. Another wrote, “This is a prime example of why you have to stay vigilant on the train.”
The prevalence of “Chikan” has led to women-only carriages in Japan’s subway
“Chikan” has long been a serious issue in Japan, particularly on crowded trains during rush hour. In 2025, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government published a survey that claimed 54.3% women reported being touched inappropriately on public transport.
A previous investigation in Japan also indicated that nearly 80% of young people who experience “chikan” did not report it to the authorities.
Image credits: tslui/Pexels (Not the real image)
Women-only train cars were first introduced in Japan in 1912, removed in 1973, and reintroduced in the early 2000s, when reported cases of chikan were at an all-time high, in an effort to reduce incidents and make female passengers feel safer.
While the system is largely favored by most, many have labeled it “discriminatory” against men. Australian travel vlogger Turan William Salis went viral in 2023 for calling the trains “segregated.”
However, Japan is not the only country to employ such a strategy to battle the crisis.
“Ladies’ coaches” are common in several urban, suburban, and long-distance trains, especially in metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata. Subway networks in some cities also have this facility, and in those that do not, coaches have separate designated seating or standing areas for men and women.
Subway networks of Cairo, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Jakarta, Manila, and several others also have women-only carriages on commuter trains. In 2011, Kuala Lumpur introduced a women-only taxi service, a concept that has since gained popularity worldwide.
A 2023 sting operation unveiled disturbing details about Japan’s “chikan” culture
Image credits: Getty/Junko Kimura
Over the years, the issue has been explored in documentaries and crime dramas, most famously in a BBC sting operation titled Catching A Pervert: Sexual Assault For Sale that aired in June 2023.
In a year-long probe, the outlet’s investigative unit, BBC Eye, went undercover to not only identify “chikan” offenders but also unmask the individuals who film the act and monetize the videos on adult content sites
The documentary exposed websites that deal in such videos, a Telegram group with 4,000 members sharing tips on how to commit the crime, and a “guru” of the “chikan” community called “Uncle Qi” who led many such forums.
At one point, the investigators discovered an establishment offering patrons rides on “legal Chikan trains” in the red-light district of Yokohama.
Image credits: Unsplash+
“We let people do things that can't be done outside,” the club’s manager, Hasuda Shuhei, told the BBC. “That's why people come here.”
The documentary also featured the anecdotes of several women who came forward with their personal experiences of being violated on public transport, and the ways they fought back against the harassment.
Image credits: Unsplash/Ahmed
“It’s a horrific and new form of digital s*x crime,” Zhaoyin Feng, presenter of the program, told Tokyo Weekender at the time. “This is a story of huge importance for millions of women, and an issue for our society — offenders need to take responsibility for their actions.”
"I'm ashamed as a man." The internet exploded over a Japanese man's alleged "chikan" attempt
