A video has been making headlines showing a Taiwanese girl shoved by an unidentified woman while she stopped to pose for a photo at Tokyo's iconic Shibuya Crossing, drawing immense backlash and calls for action.
Many netizens expressed concern over what appeared to be the deliberate targeting of a child.
In the viral video, a fast-paced woman in a white mask could be seen walking towards the little girl and pushing her, sending the girl on her knees.
As reported by CNN, the girl's mother, who wished to remain anonymous, shared that her daughter was not seriously injured.
However, the video has sparked a number of speculations, including a debate surrounding the woman's nationality, as some netizens claimed that she did not look Japanese.
Moreover, the video, which was originally posted on Instagram by an account with the handle peipeilin527, also prompted the never-ending concerns about overtourism in Japan and the person's mental health.
Japan welcomed a record 42.7 million international tourists in 2025, as per the Japan National Tourism Organization, and hotspots such as Shibuya Crossing attract a concerning number of visitors, causing frustration for locals.
The original clip was accompanied by the caption, "We went to take photos at the famous Shibuya crossing, but unexpectedly, someone with ill intentions forcefully pushed the child."
The video has garnered over 16 million views in just two days.
Following the video going viral, the social media platforms have flooded with concerns for the child, as one user noted, "It's not about the crowd. Pushing a child and elbowing strangers is disturbing behavior. No one deserves that. Respect costs nothing."
"She had pushed a man with her elbow and another girl before this one. It’s not about over-tourism, it’s her mental health," another user pointed out.
As per a Japanese media outlet, Livedoor News, some local netizens suspect that the woman might belong to the so-called "bumping tribe" in Japan, a term used to describe individuals who deliberately collide with pedestrians.
Furthermore, a Friday report noted that the shocking incident is not an isolated case, as similar collisions have been reported in busy commercial districts such as Shinjuku, Ueno and Shibuya in Tokyo.
The report said there are people in Japan who deliberately try to knock down others, and the behaviour is seen as a way for certain individuals to vent workplace or life stress.
