A Japanese insurer has announced a unique new coverage designed to protect unsuspecting clients falsely accused of groping on public transport.
Insurer Japan Shogaku Tanki Hoken, which specialises in short-term and low-priced coverage, has announced the launch of the cover, according to Japanese news site RocketNews24 .
The cover is priced at 590 yen ($6.71) per month and is aimed at urban commuters in Japans biggest cities who are accused of groping, known as a Chikan in Japan, while on busy trains and buses.
“Sometimes, the conditions are so tight it’s almost hard to breathe, and at each stop the mass of humanity shifts and writhes as people slide out the doors and others jam themselves into the carriage,” RocketNews24 reports.
“As you’re jostled around, you might find your arm pinned to your side by the people standing next to you, and on unlucky occasions, your hand can end up lying against a stranger’s body, with no chance of moving it until some of the people around you exit the train.
“And on especially unlucky occasions, that stranger might think you put your hand there on purpose, accuse you of being a chikan, and call the police.”
Customers submit their phone number with the insurer and can send a distress email at the click of a button should they be falsely accused which is picked up by a lawyer who can advise on the case.
The policy covers all legal fees for a 48 hour period after the incident and also covers victims of groping for the same time frame.
The cover, officially called Legal Consultation Fee Insurance with False Chikan Accusation Hotline, has been a “brisk seller,” since its launch in early September.
