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This year marks the 100th anniversary of Japan's first women-only trains. The idea, back in 1912, was to spare young women the indignity of being ogled by admiring men.
Over the course of the century Japan's women-only trains were discontinued and resurrected several times until they were at last fully restored in late 2000. At that time, the term sekuhara - 'sexual harassment' - had become a bit of buzzword in the Japanese media, as stories of just how often most women were subjected to public groping began to receive more attention.
Standing on a crowded Osaka subway platform during a rainy rush hour last month, it was easy to find women willing to talk about why they prefer women-only trains. Chinatsu Kawamoto, an 18-year-old high school senior, offers a typical response.
"I've been groped on the train, and I don't want that to happen again," she says.
Japan is not the only country to offer women-only transportation. Cities in Indonesia, India, Brazil, and Russia operate similar programs, while women-only buses have gained popularity in cities in Guatemala, Mexico, and most recently, Pakistan. ()
Clik here to view.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of Japan's first women-only trains. The idea, back in 1912, was to spare young women the indignity of being ogled by admiring men.
Over the course of the century Japan's women-only trains were discontinued and resurrected several times until they were at last fully restored in late 2000. At that time, the term sekuhara - 'sexual harassment' - had become a bit of buzzword in the Japanese media, as stories of just how often most women were subjected to public groping began to receive more attention.
Standing on a crowded Osaka subway platform during a rainy rush hour last month, it was easy to find women willing to talk about why they prefer women-only trains. Chinatsu Kawamoto, an 18-year-old high school senior, offers a typical response.
"I've been groped on the train, and I don't want that to happen again," she says.
Japan is not the only country to offer women-only transportation. Cities in Indonesia, India, Brazil, and Russia operate similar programs, while women-only buses have gained popularity in cities in Guatemala, Mexico, and most recently, Pakistan. ()
