A criminal network operating within Japan's train photography community has exposed a darker side of what was once considered a harmless hobby. Known locally as "toritetsu," these railway enthusiasts are increasingly associated with theft, fraud, and violent behavior, challenging Japan's reputation for maintaining low crime rates.
Six train photographers were arrested last month at the Osaka-Kansai Expo for shoplifting 111 items worth approximately 410,000 yen ($2,800) from various shops within the world fair grounds. The men, all members of the same Tokyo-based toritetsu group, had coordinated their criminal activities from the moment they left home, riding the train to the Expo without paying by working together to dodge ticket inspectors and jumping gates upon exit.
The group's systematic approach to their crimes became evident when investigators discovered they had entered the Expo using discounted tickets reserved specifically for teenagers, despite being adults. They deliberately chose June 26 for their operation, knowing that new merchandise would be arriving that day. Their primary targets were luxury children's clothing from the high-end brand Familiar, which they planned to resell at significantly higher prices on secondary markets.
Beyond the clothing theft, the criminal toritetsu group also stole various Expo souvenirs before a vigilant customer noticed their suspicious behavior and reported them to authorities. Japanese social media users expressed particular outrage at the irony of the situation. "I would expect train photographers to have enough respect for train companies not to rip them off," one commenter wrote. Another added, "To sum up, these guys are anti-social, fare-dodging, reselling, thieving train photographers? Amazing."
This shoplifting incident represents just one example in a growing pattern of criminal behavior among certain toritetsu members. Previous incidents have included Lego theft, property trespassing, and increasingly aggressive confrontations between photographers competing for prime shooting locations. A particularly serious incident in 2021 left a young man with severe head injuries after he was assaulted during an argument over the best positioning for photographing an approaching train.
The escalating hostility among toritetsu stems from an obsession with capturing the perfect photograph, according to industry experts. Japan's older trains are becoming increasingly rare as modernization continues, while urban development has reduced the number of ideal vantage points for photography. "Every train has its last moment, which, for them, is the last missing piece of the puzzle they need to make their photo collection complete," explained Jun Umehara, a freelance railway journalist speaking to AFP.
"The idea of missing that final piece is almost unbearable for them. Hence the desperation," Umehara continued. This desperation has led to confrontations with innocent bystanders, including an incident where a foreign cyclist accidentally interfered with a group's photography session as their target train passed by. The photographers threatened the cyclist, verbally abused him, and demanded financial compensation, though it remains unclear whether any money was actually exchanged.
While passionate photography sometimes unfortunately escalates into problematic behavior, experts emphasize that violence and theft can never be justified regardless of the circumstances. Despite these troubling incidents involving certain toritetsu members, Japan continues to maintain its famously low overall crime rates. Statistics from 2024 show that homicides rose slightly to 912 cases, while robberies increased to 1,361 incidents, according to Nipon data.
For perspective, these numbers remain significantly lower than crime rates in other developed nations. The United States recorded 16,924 homicides in 2024 along with 1,221,345 incidents of violent crime, though the U.S. population is approximately three times larger than Japan's. The contrast highlights how even small increases in criminal activity within specific communities like toritetsu can attract significant attention in Japan's generally peaceful society.
