logo
Japan to study tougher penalties amid online abuse of celebrities

Japan to study tougher penalties amid online abuse of celebrities

The Mainichi08-07-2025
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan will launch a panel of experts to study tougher penalties for defamation, Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki said Tuesday, amid growing awareness of personal abuse online directed at celebrities and public figures.
The panel will examine whether the revised Penal Code, enacted in 2022, properly addresses abusive behavior, such as personal attacks on social media, and assess whether it places unfair restrictions on freedom of expression, Suzuki said.
Discussions are set to begin as early as September, in line with a clause in the amended law requiring a review after three years. Currently, defamation can result in a prison term of up to one year, a maximum fine of 300,000 yen ($2,100), or lighter penalties including detention.
Public pressure for the law grew after Hana Kimura, a 22-year-old professional wrestler and cast member of the Netflix reality show "Terrace House," reportedly died by suicide in 2020 following a barrage of hateful messages on social media.
According to the Justice Ministry, fines have been imposed in about 90 cases over the three years since the law came into effect, but no instances of imprisonment or short-term detention have been confirmed during that period.
The National Police Agency, meanwhile, said the number of online abuse and defamation cases increased from 52 in 2022 to 75 in 2023 and 100 in 2024.
During parliamentary deliberations on the legal amendment, some lawmakers voiced concern that harsher penalties could discourage legitimate online criticism of politicians and public officials.
As a result, ruling and opposition parties agreed to include a supplementary clause requiring a review after three years, with input from experts.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Nagasaki Mayor to Call on World Leaders to Work for Nuclear Abolition

timea day ago

Nagasaki Mayor to Call on World Leaders to Work for Nuclear Abolition

News from Japan Aug 1, 2025 17:23 (JST) Nagasaki, Aug. 1 (Jiji Press)--Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki said Friday that he will call on world leaders to chart a concrete path toward abolishing nuclear weapons, in a speech to be delivered at an annual peace ceremony next week. He will make the speech at the ceremony on Aug. 9 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the southwestern Japan city. Suzuki will urge countries to stop wars immediately and express concern about nuclear war, according to an outline of the speech. He will also share messages from hibakusha atomic bomb survivors and the cruelty of nuclear weapons by referring to the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, or Nihon Hidankyo, which won last year's Nobel Peace Prize, and a speech by the late former Nihon Hidankyo co-chair Senji Yamaguchi. "Amid the growing threat of nuclear war, we will call on people to act as global citizens, who transcend races and borders, and make peace," Suzuki said at a press conference. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press

'Fake police' fraud cases surging in Japan
'Fake police' fraud cases surging in Japan

Japan Times

time2 days ago

  • Japan Times

'Fake police' fraud cases surging in Japan

Fraud cases in which offenders pretend to be police officers and swindle targeted people out of money under the pretext of investigation are increasing sharply in Japan, police data has shown. The amount of money swindled in such fake police fraud cases totaled ¥38.93 billion ($258 million) between January and June, according to the data released by the National Police Agency on Thursday. The NPA is working with police departments across the country to alert people for this type of fraud. The number of special fraud cases recognized by Japanese police in the first half of this year totaled a record high of 13,213, up about 50% from a year before, with the amount of damage shooting up by 2.6 times to ¥59.73 billion, also a record high. The agency believes that the surge reflects a sharp rise in fake police cases. The number of recognized cases involving fake police officers stood at 4,737, accounting for 36% of the overall special fraud cases, and the sum of money swindled in such cases made up 65%. In many fake police cases, targeted individuals first receive calls on their mobile phones. Offenders, posing as police officers, then show them fake arrest warrants via video calls on social media and instruct them to transfer money to designated bank accounts, saying, "We need to confirm whether your money is connected to crimes." Young people tend to fall victim to such fraud, with those in their 30s accounting for 20.5% of the total fake police cases in the January-June period and those in their 20s accounting for 18.7%, according to the statistics. The Osaka Prefectural Police's official website (left) and a fake website used in a fraud case involving offenders pretending to be Osaka police officers | The National Police Agency / via Jiji There has been an increase in cases in which automated voice calls are made from abroad to a large number of people. The NPA data also showed that the amount of money swindled in social media-based investment and romance fraud cases totaled ¥59.08 billion between January and June, down 10.7% year on year. Investment fraud cases fell 30.4% to ¥35.12 billion due to a sharp decrease in ads using the names of celebrities, while romance fraud cases soared 52.4% to ¥23.96 billion. In about half of romance fraud cases, offenders use matching apps to contact their targets. In many cases, fraudsters propose joint investment in crypto-assets or online shop management, according to the NPA. The agency also said that the number of criminal offenses recognized by police around the country in the January-June period increased 4.6% from a year before to 365,963, up for the third straight year. The first-half figure exceeded the level in the same period in 2019, before the COVID-19 crisis. Of the total, theft and fraud cases increased sharply, by 6,776 and 5,263, respectively. The number of serious crimes, such as murder, was up 3.6% at 7,031. Police took action against 141,195 cases, or 38.6% of the total, with the proportion rising 0.5 percentage point from a year earlier. Action was taken in 7,710 cases involving foreigners, up 41.5% year on year and the highest figure in the past 10 years.

Fake Police Fraud Cases Surging in Japan

time2 days ago

Fake Police Fraud Cases Surging in Japan

Tokyo, Aug. 1 (Jiji Press)--Fraud cases in which offenders pretend to be police officers and swindle targeted people out of money under the pretext of investigation are increasing sharply in Japan, police data have shown. The amount of money swindled in such fake police fraud cases totaled 38.93 billion yen in January-June, according to the data released by the National Police Agency on Thursday. The NPA is working with police departments across the country to alert people for this type of fraud. The number of special fraud cases recognized by Japanese police in the first half of this year totaled a record high of 13,213, up about 50 pct from a year before, with the amount of damage shooting up 2.6-fold to 59.73 billion yen, also a record high. The agency believes that the surge reflects a sharp rise in fake police cases. The number of recognized cases involving fake police officers stood at 4,737, accounting for 36 pct of the overall special fraud cases, and the sum of money swindled in such cases made up 65 pct. In many fake police cases, targeted individuals first receive calls on their mobile phones. Offenders, posing as police officers, then show them fake arrest warrants via video calls on social media and instruct them to transfer money to designated bank accounts, saying, "We need to confirm whether your money is connected to crimes." [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store