Bumping Trend in Japan: A pleasant day out in the Japanese capital took an ominous turn as a young girl, seemingly happy and ready for her photo to be taken, was pushed to the ground by a woman sporting a surgical mask. The incident was captured on camera by the girl’s mother at the renowned scramble crossing in Shibuya and quickly racked up more than one million views on Instagram. Though the vast majority of the audience appeared to condemn the woman’s actions, some also expressed concern about the dangers of taking photographs in public.
What Is the Bumping Phenomenon in Japan?
This is a part of a larger phenomenon of butsukari otoko, or “bumping man” attacks. In this phenomenon, people deliberately bump into other people in crowded areas of Japan. They mostly target women. The phenomenon was first reported in 2018 when a video surfaced of a man deliberately bumping into women at Shinjuku Station, which is one of the busiest stations in the world.
Who Are the Perpetrators of Butsukari Otoko?
While men are more commonly reported as perpetrators, women have also been involved. Videos show both genders intentionally barging into unsuspecting pedestrians, sometimes using elbows or bags to strike others. In one viral clip, a woman hits a passerby with her bag, pauses to pick something up from the ground, and then berates her victim before walking away.
What Is the Bumping Trend and How Does It Work?
The “bumping trend” is mostly seen in crowded areas such as train stations. This type of crime is characterized by intentional collisions meant to intimidate and harass the victim. Therefore, it is not just any type of bumping; it is intentional and causes public disturbances.
How Serious Is Butsukari Otoko?
Incidents are mostly reported in busy urban locations and often involve women as targets, though anyone can be affected. The act is deliberate and is considered a form of harassment that can create anxiety for victims.
Is Bumping the Same as Jump Humping?
It should be noted that the bumping trend should be distinguished from other internet slang terms, such as “jump humping,” which relates to the “soaking” social media trend. It should also be noted that, in contrast with butsukari otoko, jump humping always requires a third party to cause motion in a couple and is not a recognized form of public harassment in Japan.
How Widespread Is Bumping in Japan?
The crime is underreported because the victim does not realize he or she has been a victim of the crime and because the offender looks like an ordinary citizen in a crowd. While statistics on the crime are hard to find, a survey of 21,000 adults in Japan in 2024 found that 14% of respondents were victims of the crime, 6% were witnesses of the crime, and 5% were both a victim and a witness of the crime.
Why Are People Engaging in Bumping?
The Chinese embassy in Tokyo advised Chinese citizens to maintain a safety distance from others and avoid using their smartphones while walking. The video of the crime showed that the attacker elbowed a man and touched another child before attacking the young girl.
The girl’s mother called the scene “terrifying.” She also faced criticism on the Internet for taking a picture of her daughter who was not harmed. “I admit that perhaps I was careless about the flow of people. But it was not as if I was breaking any traffic rules. In fact, I was following the advice of Go Tokyo, which is the website of the Tokyo Convention and Visitors Bureau. On the website, it says that ‘you can even stand at the intersection and take a picture.'”
How Can Tourists Stay Safe in Crowded Areas?
The Chinese embassy in Tokyo advised Chinese citizens to maintain a safety distance from others and avoid using their smartphones while walking. The video of the crime showed that the attacker elbowed a man and touched another child before attacking the young girl.
The girl’s mother called the scene “terrifying.” She also faced criticism on the Internet for taking a picture of her daughter who was not harmed. “I admit that perhaps I was careless about the flow of people. But it was not as if I was breaking any traffic rules. In fact, I was following the advice of Go Tokyo, which is the website of the Tokyo Convention and Visitors Bureau. On the website, it says that ‘you can even stand at the intersection and take a picture.'”
