Tokyo Intensifies Fight Against Groping on Trains; Police Launch Awareness App

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, aiming to prevent sexual harassment incidents on trains, held an awareness campaign with local high school students in front of a station in Meguro Ward on the 10th, calling on the public to use an application to combat groping.

According to NHK, the event was held in front of Nakameguro Station on the Tokyu Toyoko Line, with about 50 participants including police officers and local high school students. Meguro Police Station Chief Kenji Yuzawa stated in his address, "Groping is a crime that tramples on human dignity and is absolutely unforgivable. Through this awareness campaign, we hope to promote efforts to eradicate groping."

Afterwards, participants moved near the station ticket gates and distributed flyers to commuters, calling for an end to groping.

The flyers introduced the 'Digi Police' app, developed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, which is useful for preventing groping. The app's features include a one-tap function that displays the message "There is a groper, please help me" on the smartphone screen. Additionally, to enable bystanders to assist, the app is equipped with a text message function that allows them to ask victims questions like, "Are you being groped?"

After listening to the police explanation, the participating high school students downloaded the app onto their smartphones.

A third-year female high school student who participated said, "If I were actually groped, I think I would be too scared to make a sound. So I want to make good use of this app, and I also want to recommend it to my friends."