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updated on November 19th, 2014
What’s the difference between being a “pick-up artist” and getting picked up for crimes in Japan?
If you’re a white male in Tokyo, you can do what you want. I’m just romping through the streets, just grabbing girls’ heads, just like, head, pfft on the dick, head on the dick, yelling, ‘Pikachu,’ with a Pikachu shirt (on). — Julien Blanc, dating expert at Real Social Dynamics
One of the most reviled misogynist “pick-up artists” is coming to Japan this month. He may find he is not very welcome. It’s one thing to teach dubious techniques to socially inadequate men on how to bed women; it’s another thing to grab Japanese women and force their face into your crotch.
In Japan, that’s not “aggressive dating” — that’s forcible indecency (kyōsei waisetsu), a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. I wonder if our visiting dating adviser is aware of this. He certainly wasn’t the last time he was in Japan.
Who is this charming fellow? He is, according to his Facebook page, “an executive coach for Real Social Dynamics, the international leader in dating advice.” According to a puff piece in The Daily Mail, “Pick-up artist Julien Blanc charges men $3,000 to learn his secret tricks.” He recently made a meaningless apology for his actions on CNN. Why doesn’t an apology mean anything? Because it’s not enough to exonerate you of criminal charges.
These secret tricks he brags about include grabbing women by the neck and choking them, psychological manipulation, lying and, in Japan, apparently sexually assaulting women while “cutely” saying “Pikachu, Pikachu” again and again to lighten the mood. I don’t think Nintendo would approve. The rest of the article is here in the Japan Times
Among the possible charges you’ll see listed below is one that is not: violations of the Tokyo Public Nuisance Prevention Ordinances (迷惑防止条例). It carries a penalty of less than months in prison or a penalty of 500,000 yen (6月以下の懲役又は50万円以下の罰金に処する。常習の場合、1年以下の懲役又は100万円以下の罰金). In the case of a “regular offender” and Blanc seems like a regular offender (professional offender?) if there ever was one, up to a year in jail or 1,000,000 yen fine. This is the law that the Tokyo police use to arrest gropers on trains, sometimes over zealously as recent cases show. But then again, Blanc has filmed his own damning evidence of himself committing the crimes.
The official police term for guys like Julien Blanc is chikan (痴漢) which translated into English means “molester, sexual pervert.” Julien Chikan Blanc. Try saying “Chikan, Chikan” instead of “Pikachu” next time you talk up the ladies—they’ll know to run away.
A reader of the blog kindly wrote to us and suggested a number of ways that Mr. Blanc’s past actions here (in Japan) could be considered crimes. In an extreme case, he might also be responsible for the sexual harassment or assault done by his followers. I spoke with an ex-prosecutor who agreed that the points made were valid and for you edification and that of Mr. Blanc and his followers I’ve posted them below. Crimes in bold would be the most probable charges. However, keep in mind that many cases of sexual assault require the victim to lodge a complaint (shinkokuzai/親告罪) or they can’t be prosecuted. That may also be the reason when Russian self-proclaimed rapist hasn’t been punished.
From Yoshiaki-san (who has asked not to have his full name used for reasons you can probably surmise).
I already reported this matter to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.
It is them who decide which laws apply to this matter, but I think following laws will do the jobs to take him (Julien Blanc) down.
第六十一条(教唆)
Article 61. (Inducement)
1 人を教唆して犯罪を実行させた者には、正犯の刑を科する。
(1) A person who induces another to commit a crime shall be dealt with in sentencing as a principal.
2 教唆者を教唆した者についても、前項と同様とする。
(2) The same shall apply to a person who induces another to induce.
第百六条(騒乱)
Article 106. (Disturbance)
多衆で集合して暴行又は脅迫をした者は、騒乱の罪とし、次の区別に従って処断する。
A person who assembles in a crowd and commits an act of assault or intimidation thereby commits the crime of disturbance and shall be sentenced according to the following distinctions:
一 首謀者は、一年以上十年以下の懲役又は禁錮に処する。
(i) A ringleader shall be punished by imprisonment with or without work for not less than 1 year but not more than 10 years;
二 他人を指揮し、又は他人に率先して勢いを助けた者は、六月以上七年以下の懲役又 は禁錮に処する。
(ii) A person who directs others or takes the lead in stirring up others shall be punished by imprisonment with or without work for not less than 6 months but not more than 7 years;
三 付和随行した者は、十万円以下の罰金に処する。
(iii) A person who merely follows others shall be punished by a fine of not more than 100,000 yen.
第百七十六条(強制わいせつ)
Article 176. (Forcible Indecency)
十三歳以上の男女に対し,暴行又は脅迫を用いてわいせつな行為をした者は,六月以上 十年以下の懲役に処する。十三歳未満の男女に対し,わいせつな行為をした者も,同様と する。
A person who, through assault or intimidation, forcibly commits an indecent act upon a male or female of not less than thirteen years of age shall be punished by imprisonment with work for not less than 6 months but not more than 10 years. The same shall apply to a person who commits an indecent act upon a male or female under thirteen years of age.
第二百八条(暴行)
Article 208. (Assault)
暴行を加えた者が人を傷害するに至らなかったときは,二年以下の懲役若しくは三十万 円以下の罰金又は拘留若しくは科料に処する。
When a person assaults another without injuring the other person, the person shall be punished by imprisonment with work for not more than 2 years, a fine of not more than 300,000 yen, misdemeanor imprisonment without work or a petty fine.
Mr. Blanc’s unwanted advances on the poor woman working at the convenience store, fall into another category of crime as well.
He is attacking a girl on duty. So this one can also apply to this matter. I think I will contact the convenience store’s main office to send a report of damage to the police. He and his group members are too stupid. All stores have 24-hours-365-days-recording security video cameras. Only Japanese word they can read was pikachu so they did not notice that.
第三十五章 信用及び業務に対する罪
Chapter XXXV. Crimes against Credit and Business
第二百三十四条(威力業務妨害)
Article 234. (Forcible Obstruction of Business)
威力を用いて人の業務を妨害した者も,前条の例による。
A person who obstructs the business of another by force shall be dealt with in the same manner as proscribed under the preceding Article.
Why are you so obsessed with this guy? Yeah what he’s doing in that video is obnoxious and creepy, but you can see much, much worse in any given nightclub or on the streets of Roppongi and Shibuya any time you like. It’s a show; he’s selling a product: “learn how to stop being afraid of women”.
Who are these timid young men with $3000 to spend on something like that? I don’t know but there certainly do seem to be a lot of them.
I’ve met Julien and he’s not like this when you talk to him or any time when the camera isn’t pointing to him. This is acting, it’s a stupid prank designed to get a lot of views (and money) from awed socially awkard guys and lots of exposure from enraged self-righteous social justice keyboard warriors on twitter and tumblr. Mission accomplished, it seems to me.
We aren’t obsessed with the guy. His behaviour is deplorable and he’s committed sexual assault on camera and bullied women. That’s not acceptable and he’s not welcome He may be okay with the cameras off but words can cut open people like knives and his interactions with women—where he allegedly claims his son died, his father died, his sister was raped–etc, to emotionally manipulate women–that’s almost sociopathic. There are worse people in the world clearly. He’s a symbol of toxic masculinity and an embodiment of it.
so u r saying girls don’t like it when men act playful, dominant and take control? they prefer polite, quiet men? not my friends, they are always complaining about the lack of real men.
There are limits to acting playful that are clearly understood.
Clearly you are swimming in the shallow end of the gene pool. His “selling a product” as you put it does not make predatory conduct in the form of sexual harassment towards women acceptable or lawful. All the elements of a crime appear evident in the video where he accosts the convenience store clerk. I’m sure any statements obtained from her would not indicate he had her consent to grab and restrain her. I really don’t care that you are ignorant. Just be aware that acting on your ignorance can land you in jail both here and abroad.
Well-put.
More importantly. The product he is selling is teaching other men TO DO THE SAME THING. This will result in more women sexually assaulted or raped.
How can you say that “what he’s doing in that video is obnoxious and creepy” yet at the same time say it’s “just a prank?” That’s a contradiction, and that makes me think that you know very good and well that what he was doing was wrong.
And even if I believe you that Julian might think what he is doing is “just a prank”, I have to ask if he stopped to consider that the women he assaulted didn’t know that? Did he stop to think that they might actually be *intimidated* or *upset* by what he was doing? Considering everything else I’ve learned about him, including his hashtag #chokinggirlsaroundtheworld, I tend to think that he just doesn’t care and in fact gets off on intimidating women into complying.
There is no real excuse or reason for such behavior in ANY context. If you are so afraid of women that you have to intimidate them into compliance, sexually assault them, and forcibly kiss them, then you have psychological problems way beyond simple nervousness and probably are in need of a good therapist to help you overcome them. Rather than spending that $3,000 on lessons in how to sexually degrade and intimidate women, get a good shrink.
Finally, it was “social justice warriors” (I like the sound of that!) that got his ass kicked out of Australia. I have little doubt that we will also succeed here in Japan, where the police tend to look down on white racist men sexually assaulting Japanese women. Actually, I would like it if he made it in, just to see his ass get thrown in a Japanese jail cell for a good long while.
He’s having his websites pulled, PayPal are pulling their support. He was literally deported out of Australia – these things are not good for business or promotion – RSD have since come out saying he is “going to rehab” in a vain attempt to gloss over the whole thing HAHAHA Good Luck – Fighters against RSD or any other organisation that teachs the objectification of women (or men) aren’t going to give up!
So you see this happening in Japan and you just ignore it?
Mom missed a few hugs. This guy is messed up on the inside. If he comes to Japan and tries that choke business he will get pummeled — his face has been all over social media by now.
“Mom missed a few hugs.” Perhaps.
@Witheld This is the most ironic “mission accomplished” statement since President Bush landed on an aircraft carrier.
The term has forever been endowed with irony.
Would like to get in contact with you privately. We have a petition to try to prevent his entry into Japan, and your knowledge of the specific laws he is breaking can help build this case.
If you want to see the petition, please check:
https://www.change.org/p/日本入国管理局-白人ならどんな日本人女性ともヤレる-と-自らのセミナーで発言をする-強制わいせつデートコーチのjulien-blancの入国を阻止せよ-stop-pick-up-artist-julien-blanc-who-profits-off-of-teaching-seminars-on-how-to-abuse-women-from-entering-japan
Thank you for getting touch (we edited this reply to protect your privacy). We’re so glad that you got this done. And it was great to accompany you to immigration yesterday. Well-done.
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Excellent piece. It’s about time these new colonial whites learned that laws (not to mention good manners) apply at LEAST as much to foreigners as to nationals. Asia is NOT a playground for sleazy men.
What really bothers me about RSD is that their approach is to go up to a woman and do to her whatever they think they can get away with in the hope that she will be too hesitant to make a scene, maybe even to shame her if she does make a scene. Of course if she DOES make a scene the guy’s response will be “I was only joking. What is wrong with you? ” I think this is the image the public has of RSD. And if the owners don’t rehabilitate that image by cleaning up their act, RSD’s days as a going concern are numbered. I don’t even want to hear about self-actualization for me. Let’s not kid ourselves. RSD is selling “seduction” of women, apparently by pestering them into sex.
*men.