You will also be interested
Will Japan put an end to online insults? In the land of Sun rising, the cyber harassment is punishable by law and new, even harsher legislation has just been put in place. From now on, the accused persons can be sentenced to up to one year in prison and a fine of 300,000 yen, or 2,100 euros. A tougher sentence which previously included imprisonment for less than 30 days and a fine of less than 10,000 yen, or 70 euros. Victims will also have more time to attack their cyberstalkers with a limitation period extended to three years, compared to one year previously.
This new policy was adopted after the death of Hana Kimura, a 22-year-old wrestler and Japanese reality TV contestant ” Terrace House: Tokyo 2019-2020 on Netflix. The young woman was the victim of intense cyberbullying which drove her to suicide in May 2020. In Japan, voices were raised following the very light sentences against two men accused of having insulted the young celebrity before his death. The Minister of Justice, Yoshihisa Furukawa, had then called for a toughening of the laws against the cyber harassmentalso requested by Hana Kimura’s mother.
Censorship risks
However, if this new law can make it possible to limit cyberbullying, some have expressed their fears concerning legal censorship, thus preventing any criticism, in particular of politicians or any other public figures.
An important point raised and which will be analyzed in three years, when the said law will be examined again to find out whether or not freedom of expression has been restricted. ” We think it’s important to work on eradicating malicious insults that can sometimes drive people to death.”, said the Japanese Minister of Justice at the press conference, insisting that this law was not intended to reduce freedom of expression. Case to follow.
Interested in what you just read?