#Japan #introduces #year #prison #cyberbullying
People convicted of cyberbullying in Japan now face up to a year in prison under rules introduced Thursday, which were tightened following the suicide of a reality star who was trolled online.
Pink-haired professional wrestler Hana Kimura, a 22-year-old member of the cast of hit Netflix series Terrace House, died by suicide in 2020.
The revised legislation follows an impassioned campaign by her mother and now carries fines of up to 300,000 yen ($2,200) or a year in prison — an increase from previous penalties of up to 10,000 yen in fines or 30 days in prison.
The increased penalties are intended to make it clear that cyberbullying is a criminal offense, Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa said.
“We believe it’s important that we work to eliminate hateful slurs that can sometimes drive people to their deaths,” he said at a news conference on Tuesday.
Although the issue of cyberbullying in Japan had been raised prior to Kimura’s death, the wrestler’s suicide prompted a national and international investigation and put pressure on lawmakers to take action.
However, some free speech advocates and legal experts oppose the new rules and have warned the government to ensure the stricter law is not used against free speech and political criticism.
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