Japan has passed a law that punishes online bullies severely. It imposes a one year sentence for those who violate it and carries heftier fines. After the death of an actress on TV, the rules were made more restrictive.
This legislation went into effect in Japan on Thursday. Violators now face fines as high as $2,200 and one year in jail. These penalties are significantly higher than those of 75 or lesser and 30 days detention.
After the Liberal Democratic ruling party made a deal to reach a compromise with the opposition legislatures, the bill was adopted in mid-June. The law will now be up for review three years after its passage. This review will determine whether the legislation places undue limitations on the freedom of expression. The law will be modified if such a decision is made.
For this reason, the penalties were increased “online insults”Hana Kimura’s suicide two years ago, when she was 22 years old, has been remembered as a reality television star and pro-wrestler. Kimura took her life in May 2020 after a wave of cyberbullying she received due to her performance on Netflix’s ‘Terrace House’ show. While the case drew international attention to Japan’s cyberbullying issues, two men found guilty of targeting Kimura online got away with only minor fines.
In the wake of Kimura’s death, the legislative council of Japan’s Justice Ministry recommended stepped up punishments to Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa, who told reporters earlier this week that the new framework demonstrates the “legal assessment that [cyberbullying] is a crime that should be severely dealt with, and acts as a deterrent.”In a rebuttal to critics of the law being called draconian, minister said that it would be enforceable. “an unjustified restriction on freedom of expression.”
Share this story via social media
[ad_2]
