Woman Who Shoved Girl At Shibuya Crossing In Viral Video Is Allegedly A Repeat Offender

By now, you would have probably seen the viral clip of a young girl posing sweetly for a photo at Tokyo’s iconic Shibuya Crossing, only to be abruptly shoved to the ground by a female passer-by.

Some Japanese netizens are alleging that the same woman has been spotted around Shibuya before, displaying similar behaviour.

Several travellers have also shared that they or their friends experienced deliberate collisions also at Shibuya Crossing, one of Japan’s busiest pedestrian intersections. 

Online discussions suggest the woman typically targets physically smaller individuals or tourists distracted while taking photos during peak hours before quickly blending back into the crowd.

Her identity has not been officially confirmed. However, netizens believe her Instagram handle is @mitsu01314, though its authenticity cannot be confirmed. The account allegedly replied to messages, referring to the viral incident: “Yes, it was me. I was in a rush at the time. Because I didn’t have the courage to turn myself in, please report me.”

Comments flooded in, calling the act selfish and inexcusable.

“Does being in a hurry justify knocking over a child?” read one of the comments.

When pressed to apologise, the person behind the account later posted: “I was very worried about whether the child was injured. My selfish actions caused trouble for everyone. I’m sorry for not considering the consequences.”

Even then, skepticism remained with some questioning whether the account was authentic at all, suggesting it could be a troll capitalising on viral attention.

While the incident shocked many international viewers, some Japanese netizens pointed out that such behaviour is commonly referred to as “bumping attackers” (or Butsukari Otoko), aka individuals who deliberately ram into others in crowded public spaces.

Reports of such cases have surfaced periodically over the years, though in instances where foreign tourists are allegedly targeted, language barriers and short travel timelines make formal complaints less likely.

That said, reactions within Japan have been mixed.

Some netizens argued that stopping to take photos at a high-traffic crossing can obstruct pedestrian flow.

But even among those critics, most agreed that inconvenience does not justify physical aggression, especially against a child.

According to Japanese law, intentionally pushing someone in public, even without causing injury, may constitute assault and is punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to ¥300,000 (S$2.4K).

If injuries are sustained, the offence could escalate to bodily harm, which carries significantly heavier penalties.

Photos: news.ebc.net, peipeilin527/IG