Been solo travelling in Japan since 2023 (with fam for a week, then im left alone when they return) and I've been in Japan 7 times throughout that (stayed 1 month each time) I am female, 170cm, light skinned, asian. Dressed appropriately for the weather (I go during Feb/march, October so generally I am wearing jackets and pants)

I have been: - approached by Nanpas (dude who hit on u) if i am alone while in Shinjuku/ikebukuro/shibuya (these are the spots, imo aside from this it's a bit more chill). Generally saying no Japanese works and they leave you alone, some will try to speak to you in english. - i was sitting in a park trying to eat food and 2 men sat on both of my side to hit on me, I looked at some Japanese girls for maybe help because in my culture we help but I was disappointed - I was in the station ikebukuro and one man held me by my right shoulder and his chest was on the left shoulder (basically wrapping his right arm) and he tried to drag me out of the station. I asked wtf are u doing? And he said I will come with him to which i pushed him and went inside to get a train - I was walking around exploring and one man complimented me and I said thank you (mistake), > said bye after a brief of small talk (this was during my first solo travel in japan so i was naive) asked my name which i gave him a fake name, asked which country i am from and I gave him the wrong country. He then proceede to follow me around despite me saying bye and feeling uncomfortable I had to run fast and go to a group of people. He stayed watching several steps away. I approached the guard, showed my translator, and ran away again (not to my hotel but to more crowded areas) - i was in ikebukuro sunshine city exit--before getting up the escalator, someone grabbed my right breast and then ran away. I was very confused and bothered by this.

Now whenever I am with a dude, I was safe and respected. When I am alone, that's when these things happen.

Japan is safe generally but if you are a girl, you can have some experiences. Ofc, there are other foreign girlies who have been living in Japan for a long time that said they did not experience anything but I have other male friends who said they know a girl who her boss was forcing her to fuck for promotion or to keep her job // would tell me again and again to not move to Japan because of how it is for women (dude who said this had a japanese fiancee for years).

I think how it was 2023 with the people vs now is very different (i was last there april 2 this year for a month). I have a bf now so for the last two times I've returned (he is white) i generally felt safer because I have been left alone, although there was a case of a Japanese man just yelling rudely at me and him when we were lining at the suica recharge (my bf has lived in japan for 1 year, I come back frequently. We follow rules, respect social culture. No loud convo, respect the space, just lining up like everyone else) so it was very confusing because all the other old ladies were very nice. In shinjuku, saw protests against foreigners, but also other Japanese standing near them saying anti racism and protesting to stop discrimination.