Shocking Scenes of Drunken Young Women in Japan Go Viral, Fueling Safety Paradox Discussion

A video recently went viral on overseas social media platforms, showing young women in short skirts, completely defenseless, lying drunk on the streets – some sprawled out in front of convenience stores, others curled up in the corners of staircases, and even some semi-clothed and asleep on the sidewalks. In just five days, the video garnered over 61 million views.

The comment section erupted in heated debate, with some marveling at "Japan's great public safety, where girls dare to sleep directly on the streets," while others questioned, "This is a symbol of social decay."

Japan's "global reputation" for safety is indeed supported by data: low crime rates, strict gun control, efficient patrolling by the Koban (police box) system, and a high level of public awareness regarding order.

However, this "safety" may be a fragile illusion for women.

After all, upskirting and sexual harassment are deeply ingrained problems in Japanese society. The persistent "chikan" (groper) problem on Japanese trains, the ubiquitous "no unauthorized photography" warnings in public places, and the mandatory shutter sound on phone cameras all reveal the normalized infringement of women's privacy.

And women who are drunk and passed out on the streets are extremely vulnerable targets for sexual assault. In bustling areas like Roppongi in Tokyo, middle-aged men often use the guise of "helping" intoxicated women to molest them or even take them to hotels to assault them.

Furthermore, passersby in Japan generally adhere to a social rule of "not interfering with others." Even if they witness a woman collapsed on the ground, they are more likely to walk around or take photos and upload them rather than offer assistance.

These women who are drunk on the streets include ordinary office workers and regular women, but many more are workers in the sex industry. Their plight directly points to the rifts in Japan's social structure. The cost of living in cities like Tokyo and Osaka is extremely high, forcing young women to enter the sex industry to repay debts from luxury goods, idol-related expenses, or gambling losses.

Working as bar hostesses or in nightclubs can yield hourly wages three times that of ordinary office workers, but the cost is heavy drinking and physical exhaustion. Japan's "hospitality culture" molds women into roles serving men, and the sex industry is seen by some as a "short-term way to earn money," with relatively low social stigma, indirectly encouraging women to enter the field.

When the streets at night become these women's "temporary beds," their predicament is actually a microcosm of systemic social exploitation.

YouTube channels with the theme "sleeping drunk on the street" earn millions of views by secretly filming women. The photographers gain attention by exposing the privacy of the individuals, even creating a risk of "crime inducement."

Overseas netizens interpret the images as "Japanese women having a tendency to alcoholism," while ignoring the complex socioeconomic drivers behind it, further deepening stereotypes about Japanese culture.

Japan's "Drunkenness Prevention Law" was originally intended to protect women, but 50 years later, the number of drunken women has doubled, and the law appears powerless in the face of workplace oppression and consumerism.

As one Japanese netizen commented: "When society becomes accustomed to seeing women sleeping drunk on the streets as normal, the so-called 'safety' has long become a mere facade." What do you think about this?