Online harassment is now punishable with jail time or fines.
Recently, Japan’s parliament passed new legislation that imposes stiffer penalties on acts of online harassment and cyberbullying. When this new amendment to the country’s penal code goes into effect later this summer, those found guilty of deliberate cyberbullying efforts could face either a year in prison or up to 300,000 yen in fines (approx. $2,200 USD).
đź’» Japan has made "insults" punishable by up to a year in prison under a new cyberbullying law https://t.co/ZBZoId2PUU
— Telegraph World News (@TelegraphWorld) June 14, 2022
The impetus of this new law was the suicide of professional wrestler and reality television star Hana Kimura. Kimura, who starred in the Netflix series Terrace House, took her own life in 2020 due to extensive online harassment. Kimura’s mother organized a nonprofit organization to raise awareness about cyberbullying and campaigned for more stringent laws.
The law has been met with a mixed response, with many expressing concern that these penalties will severely impact free speech and the ability to be critical of authority figures. Criminal lawyer Seiho Cho warned that the law is not nearly clear enough on what constitutes harassment.
Under the amendment to the country's penal code offenders convicted of online insults can be jailed for up to one year, or fined 300,000 yen (about $2,200) https://t.co/DXd5gZbYXR
— CNN International (@cnni) June 14, 2022
“There needs to be a guideline that makes a distinction on what qualifies as an insult,” Cho said. “For example, at the moment, even if someone calls the leader of Japan an idiot, then maybe under the revised law that could be classed as an insult.”
The law does include a provision requiring it to undergo stringent examination in three years’ time in order to determine any potentially dangerous effects on free speech rights.
Legendary Soccer Player Pelé Dead at 82
-
In a significant escalation of the ongoing dispute over misinformation, Brazil Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has initiated...
-
Mumbai Takes the Throne for the Most Billionaires in Asia In a historic milestone, Mumbai has overtaken Beijing to...
-
French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the need for Western powers to remain vigilant in the face of the Ukraine...
-
The Philippines has strongly denounced what it described as “unprovoked acts of coercion and dangerous maneuvers” by China in...
-
As Moscow Prepares to Bid Adieu, Navalny’s Funeral Raises Uncertainties and International Allegations The spokesperson for Alexei Navalny has...
-
On the two-year anniversary of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, there is much to reflect upon. Since...
-
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released official figures on Wednesday, revealing that the United Kingdom posted a record...
-
Greece has become the first Christian Orthodox-majority country to legalize same-sex marriage, marking a significant step forward for LGBTQ+...
-
Massive Deflation in China as CPI Plummets by 0.8% China faces mounting challenges as its consumer prices spiral deeper...
-
3 Days of Consecutive Snowing Has Wreaked Havoc on Transportation As China prepares to celebrate the Lunar New Year,...
-
Rapid Growth in Electric Cars Propels China to The Forefront of Global Vehicle Exports China has surpassed Japan as...
-
Pakistan’s Political Landscape Suffers a Shift Following Khan’s Sentencing Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra...