Voyeurs, flashers and “chikan” gropers are more likely to be found at these stations.

In Japan, the word “fushinsha” literally translates to “suspicious person“, and is commonly used by police as a catch-all term to describe voyeurs, flashers and “chikan” gropers who usually commit acts of sexual harassment in public, often on public transport.

In order to keep an eye on the fushinsha problem, and find out more about where the most incidents have occured, the Japan Suspicious Person Information Centre (JASPIC) conducted a seven-month study on the subject, compiling information on reports from police and municipalities which revealed that nearly 40 percent of all incidents occurred in and around train stations.

According to JASPIC, 11,607 incidents were officially recorded from March to October this year, with 4,487 reports occurring in the proximity of train stations. The following 25 stations were identified as being the most notorious for suspicious persons, with nine cases recorded at each one.

  • Shin-Sapporo (Hokkaido Prefecture)
  • Nagamachi-Minami (Miyagi Prefecture)
  • Maebashi (Gunma Prefecture)
  • Higashi-Omiya (Saitama Prefecture)
  • Miyahara  (Saitama Prefecture)
  • Kami-Fukuoka (Saitama Prefecture)
  • Kita-Toda (Saitama Prefecture)
  • Kasukabe (Saitama Prefecture)
  • Tokorozawa (Saitama Prefecture)
  • Shiki (Saitama Prefecture)
  • Tozuka-Angyo (Saitama Prefecture)
  • Nishi-Kawaguchi (Saitama Prefecture)
  • Honjo (Saitama Prefecture)
  • Ikuta (Kanagawa Prefecture)
  • Noborito (Kanagawa Prefecture)
  • Mukogaoka-Yuen (Kanagawa Prefecture)
  • Shizuoka (Shizuoka Prefecture)
  • Hamamatsu (Shizuoka Prefecture)
  • Komyoike (Osaka Prefecture)
  • Yamato-Saidaiji (Nara Prefecture)
  • Kobe-Sannomiya (Hyogo Prefecture)
  • HyogoHimeji ( Prefecture)
  • Okayama (Okayama Prefecture)
  • Hiroshima (Hiroshima Prefecture)
  • Meinohama (Fukuoka Prefecture)

While nine reports might seem like a small number for each of the above stations, it’s worth noting that the records reflect data collected from a seven-month period, meaning that the stations averaged at least one report each month. Also, according to JASPIC, the unusually high number of reports from Saitama Prefecture could be due to the diligence of reporting from Saitama police, who are known to be particularly thorough when it comes to reporting incidents of suspicious activity.

Prefectural Ranking

Looking at the wider picture, taking into account the total reports of suspicious persons from each prefecture, reveals the following results.

1. Saitama (1,711)

2. Osaka (1,227)

3. Aichi (989)

4. Tokyo (969)

5. Hyogo (923)

6. Hokkaido (717)

7. Shizuoka (687)

8. Kanagawa (537)

9. Fukuoka (508)

10. Miyagi (426)

11. Hiroshima (382)

12. Kyoto (362)

13. Chiba (241)

14. Okayama (149)

Tokyo’s Most Notorious Stations

As the busiest area in Japan, the metropolis of Tokyo receives its own report, with the following stations ranked as the most notorious for reports of suspicious persons.

  • Akitsu, Higashimurayma City (8 reports)
  • Kita-Senju, Adachi Ward (7 reports)
  • Hachioji, Hachioji City (6 reports)
  • Araiyakushi-Mae, Nakano Ward (6 reports)
  • Higashi-Jujo, Kita Ward (6 reports)
  • Jujo, Kita Ward (6 reports)
  • Umejima, Adachi Ward (6 reports)
  • Mizue, Edogawa Ward (6 reports)
  • Ogikubo, Suginami Ward (6 reports)
  • Nishi-Kasai, Edogawa Ward (6 reports)

The data collected by JASPIC reveals a number of insightful details regarding the reporting of suspicious persons around Japan. With these results currently making headlines nationwide, JASPIC hopes more people feel encouraged to make reports when necessary and municipalities become more vigilant when recording such incidents.

Source: Toyo Keizai via My Game News Flash
Featured image: Pakutaso
Insert images: Pakutaso (1, 2)