"Did you just grope me? Shall we go to the police?"
That's the message women are flashing on their cell phones with a popular program designed to ward off wandering hands on congested commuter trains.
Called Anti-groping Appli, it was released by games developer Takahashi in late 2005 but has only recently seen its popularity climb, reaching No. 7 in this week's top-10 cell phone applications list compiled by Web-based publisher Spicy Soft Corp.
The application flashes increasingly threatening messages in bold print on the phone's screen to show to the offender: "Excuse me, did you just grope me?" "Groping is a crime," and finally, "Shall we go to the police?"
Users press an "Anger" icon in the program to progress to the next threat. A warning chime accompanies the message.
The application, which can be downloaded for free on Web-enabled phones, is for women who want to scare away perverts with minimum hassle and without attracting attention, according to Takahashi's Web site. "I first downloaded this as a joke," Spicy Soft official Michika Izumi said. "But I think it could be a lifesaver if I get groped."
Izumi said users may have discovered Takahashi's Anti-groping Appli because of a series of new applications unveiled by the creator this year, including a popular number game, horoscope and blogging program.
The Metropolitan Police Department said 1,853 people were arrested for groping passengers on trains in Tokyo in 2005. Experts say the incidence is much higher, but women are often too embarrassed to report it.