Society

Tokyo High Court says Twitter need not delete tweets on arrest history

Jun 30 (Japan Times) - The Tokyo High Court on Monday dismissed a manâ€™s demand that Twitter Inc. delete tweets showing his arrest history, overturning a lower court order for the U.S. company to remove the online posts.

In handing down the ruling, presiding Judge Hiroshi Noyama said Twitter plays a significant role on the internet and that strict standards must be applied in this particular case.

In 2017, Japanâ€™s top court set strict standards in a similar lawsuit, dismissing another manâ€™s request to remove news search results of his arrest for child prostitution from Google Inc.â€™s search engine.

The Supreme Court decided that the deletion of search results can be allowed only when the significance of privacy protection clearly outweighs that of information disclosure.

Last October, the Tokyo District Court heeded the request of deletion by the man in northeastern Japan, saying looser standards should be applied in the case as Twitter does not have the same level of information infrastructure as Google.

But the high court determined that strict standards set by the top court should be applied in this case as well, with Noyama citing how Twitter is being used by â€œwell-known individuals such as the U.S. president as well as government agencies and corporations.â€

Typhoon No. 24 Poses Heavy Rain Threat to Okinawa

Typhoon No. 24 is currently located over the southern seas and is expected to track westward toward Vietnam later this week, with no direct impact anticipated on Japan. As of now, the storm’s central pressure is 1000 hectopascals, with maximum sustained winds reaching 20 meters per second. Satellite imagery shows a significant cloud mass developing in the southern region, indicating intensified activity around the system.

Real-Life Water Police: Protecting Tokyo’s Seas and Rivers

Tokyo’s seas and rivers, once considered lawless backwaters beyond the reach of regular policing, are now under constant watch by a dedicated force known as the “water police,” specialists who patrol the capital’s waterways, chase down smugglers, stop reckless jet ski riders, and carry out dramatic rescue missions to save lives.

Tourist Graffiti Threatens Kyoto’s Iconic Bamboo Forest

Kyoto’s world-famous Arashiyama district, a popular destination for both domestic and international tourists, is facing a growing problem of graffiti etched into the bamboo along its iconic “Bamboo Grove Path,” with more than 350 stalks now damaged — a practice that experts warn could eventually cause bamboo to weaken, fall, and even injure visitors.

Japanese Streaming Services Struggle Against Netflix

Japan’s streaming industry is under growing pressure as foreign giants tighten their grip on the domestic market, with Netflix’s latest move to secure exclusive broadcast rights in Japan for every game of the World Baseball Classic next March highlighting the widening gap.

Japan Tightens Rules on Foreign Business Visas

Investigators from the Immigration Services Agency conducted on-site inspections in Osaka on October 14th amid a surge in so-called 'paper companies' created by foreign nationals seeking residency.

MEDIA CHANNELS