"Asked to Take a Photo, Felt Scared"… Cross-Dressing Man Wearing Doll Mask Appears in Women's Restroom

Wearing to Look Like a Woman, Also Asking Strangers for Photos

In Japan, men wearing tight silicone body suits and doll masks to appear like women have been appearing in public places, causing fear among women. It has been reported that some men have repeatedly entered women's restrooms while in disguise.

On the 30th, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that men wearing body suits and masks to look like women have appeared in public places in Japan. These men are called "Tight Men," referring to their wearing of tight body suits.

A Japanese man wearing a silicone bodysuit and mask to look like a woman.
Photo by SCMP

They seem to be inspired by the mask cosplay style rooted in Japanese animation culture. The media explained that mask cosplay enthusiasts wear body suits and masks to more accurately portray their favorite anime characters.

In fact, in February, a video on X (formerly Twitter) showing a person wearing a full-body tights and a female face mask sitting on a Japanese subway seat went viral.

On April 21 of the same year, a netizen named "Kawaso" revealed that the "woman" appearing in the video was a man dressed in women's clothing. Kawaso wrote, "That person deliberately sat in places with many women and got close to them," adding, "I sat a little farther away, but I was scared." He also claimed to have reported the man to the police, but no action was taken.

Another netizen reported that "Tight Men" are often seen around Tokyo's Shibuya subway station and Shinjuku area.

One of the Tight Men, named "Rin," officially acknowledged online that he is biologically male. It is known that he entered a women's restroom wearing a body suit and mask and asked a stranger to take a photo.

A woman who met Rin at the time posted on her SNS that she had no choice but to comply with his request to take a photo, saying, "I was scared because I didn't know what would happen if I refused." Rin claimed, "My actions only fulfilled personal desires and did not cause harm."

In Japan, illegally entering a women's restroom can result in up to three years in prison or a fine of 100,000 yen (about 900,000 won). There are currently no reports that Rin has been arrested by authorities.

In Japan, illegality is recognized only when identity is concealed for criminal purposes. SCMP reported that no criminal acts related to this group have been reported yet, but their presence raises concerns about public safety.