Cyber Bullies Face Year in Jail Under New Japan Law

Cyber bullies who insult or threaten other people on social media could face up to a year in prison or a fine of up to 300,000 yen ($2,200) under new penalties that came into effect in Japan on Thursday, according to a report by Kyodo.

The government toughened penalties after the apparent suicide of Hana Kimura, a 22-year-old female professional wrestler and reality show personality, in May 2020 after she was swamped with “a barrage of hateful messages on social media,” the report said.

Read the full report: Kyodo.

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Jim Pollard

Jim Pollard is an Australian journalist based in Thailand since 1999. He worked for News Ltd papers in Sydney, Perth, London and Melbourne before travelling through SE Asia in the late 90s. He was a senior editor at The Nation for 17+ years.