China warns citizens after a girl was pushed down in Japan

The incident happened on February 25 at the road marking at Shibuya intersection. While the little girl from Taiwan, China was posing for a photo, a middle-aged woman intentionally pushed the victim down. Images from the camera showed that this woman also used her elbow to strongly nudge a man and another girl who were also taking photos in this area.

The incident sparked debate about safety at crowded tourist destinations. Chinese diplomatic agencies advise people to be wary of situations where collisions are faked for “targeted attacks”.

According to a notice posted on the official WeChat account, the Chinese Embassy in Japan said that recently there have been many cases of people pretending to be passersby and deliberately nudging or rushing into victims in crowded areas. The targets are often foreign tourists, women, children and the elderly.

Incidents were recorded at crowded places such as Ikebukuro, Shibuya (Tokyo) and Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori (Osaka), according to Xinhua News Agency. After causing a collision, these people often quickly leave and hide in the crowd.

The Chinese Embassy recommends that citizens in Japan improve their safety awareness and limit going to places with too many people or complicated security situations. People are advised to keep a distance from others and pay attention to children and the elderly when moving in crowded areas.

During morning and afternoon rush hours, pedestrians should not use phones when moving at the station, hallways, escalators, stairs or crosswalks, and should observe their surroundings.

In case of encountering a similar situation, the victim is recommended to collect evidence such as taking photos of the scene, locating surveillance cameras or asking people around for assistance, then report to the nearest police station.

According to Japanese regulations, physical attacks that do not cause injury can be handled as assault, with a maximum penalty of two years in prison or a fine of up to 300,000 yen (about 1,900 USD). If causing injury, the violator can face the crime of intentionally causing injury with a sentence of up to 15 years in prison or a maximum fine of 500,000 yen (about 3,185 USD).

Victims are also advised to seek medical assistance and consider filing a civil lawsuit if necessary. In case of intentional collision, the victim should go to the hospital for a check-up, get a certificate of injury and keep the expense receipt as evidence for compensation claims.

For short-term visitors, the Embassy recommends purchasing insurance before departure to receive support in the event of an incident.

Shibuya is one of the busiest neighborhoods in Tokyo, famous for Shibuya Crossing – considered the most crowded street crossing in the world. At the busiest times, about 1,000 – 2,500 people cross Shibuya intersection every two minutes. This area is home to many shopping centers, restaurants, giant billboards and often appears in movies and TV shows, becoming a familiar check-in point for tourists when coming to Tokyo.