Jul 16 (NHK) - The family of a TV star who died in a suspected suicide due to cyber-bullying has filed a complaint with Japan's Broadcasting Ethics and Program Improvement Organization, known as the BPO.
Kimura Hana, a 22-year-old professional Japanese wrestler, was one of the stars of "Terrace House," a reality show produced by Fuji Television. She is believed to have taken her own life in May after being cyber-bullied by anonymous online users.
Her family alleges that the TV show's staff infringed Kimura's human rights by telling her to act as a violent woman.
The online attacks began after an episode that involved Kimura and one of the other housemates in a shared residence. The man dried his clothes with Kimura's costume left in the machine and damaged it. She got furious, and knocked off his cap.
Her mother says her daughter told her the staff had urged her to act violently, and had suggested that she slap the man. She says her daughter could not do so as a professional wrestler, and instead went for the man's hat. She says her daughter was told to exaggerate her anger.
Her mother also said the performers in the show signed an agreement to promise that they would follow the instructions from the staff. She claims that her daughter's speech and actions were restricted.
