Japan survey finds 1 in 6 men groped on Tokyo public transport, defying gender assumptions

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Julian RyallJanuary 22, 2026 at 02:30 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

A recent Tokyo metropolitan government survey revealed that approximately one in six men (15.1%) have experienced groping on Tokyo's public transportation. This figure, considered surprisingly high by experts, challenges the common assumption that women are the primary victims of sexual molestation on trains and at stations. The same survey indicated that 54.3% of women reported similar experiences. The survey is part of Tokyo's ongoing efforts, launched in 2023, to understand the extent of sexual assaults on public transport. Prior surveys suggested lower rates for both genders, making the current findings a notable increase. The results highlight that men are also targets of unwanted sexual contact in crowded public spaces.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

University of Tsukuba’s Institute of Human Sciences 50% Takayuki Harada 60% Japan 70% Tokyo 80% Tokyo Metropolitan Government ×290%

Keywords

sexual molestation 90% public transport 80% groping 80% tokyo 70% men 70% women 60% survey 60% sexual assault 50% chikan 50%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.20

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Tokyo

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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sexual molestation public transport groping tokyo men women survey sexual assault chikan

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