Groping is a problem on Japan’s overcrowded trains. The Japanese even have a name for men who grope women during train rides: chikan, a word which also refers to the act of groping. To reduce groping incidents, several train companies introduced women-only train cars.
Although the cars are meant for female commuters, young boys, physically challenged men, and male caregivers are also allowed on board. Not all train companies have women-only carriages, and those that do don’t always keep them operational all day. Some train companies only operate them during weekends or rush hours.
Some men and women have demanded male-only cars in response to the women-only cars. Men say they want male-only carriages because they fear women in the mixed cars falsely accusing them of groping.
Japanese men also complain that women on mixed carriages look at them suspiciously and consider them potential gropers.] In fact, some men say the existence of women-only cars is evidence of the fact that women consider all men guilty of chikan.