News On Japan

Mother of 'Terrace House' star to press charges against cyberbullies

Aug 07 (Kyodo) - The mother of a cast member of popular reality TV show "Terrace House" who apparently committed suicide said Thursday she plans to pursue charges against those responsible for cyberbullying her daughter.

Kyoko Kimura attended a working-group meeting on cyberharassment of the Liberal Democratic Party, telling ruling lawmakers that she intends to identify people who made defamatory posts against her daughter on social media.

Hana Kimura, a 22-year-old professional wrestler, was found dead at her apartment in Tokyo in May.

Fuji Television, which produced the show, said last week its in-house probe had found that the cast member engaged in self-harm after a scene in a late March episode in which she lost her temper triggered cyberbullying against her.

Her mother spoke to reporters following the meeting, which was closed to the press. "The suffering of mental abuse is only known to the person who receives it," she said.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

China says it will resume allowing visa-free visits by Japanese nationals on short-term trips from the end of this month. (NHK)

Japan is facing a deepening crisis of poverty and inequality, with rising reports of 'invisible homeless' individuals and growing economic hardships among the population. Discussions over reforms to the country's tax and welfare systems have taken center stage, as policymakers grapple with how to provide meaningful support.

A special lighting ceremony was held on November 20th at Ueno Toshogu Shrine, located in Ueno Park, Taito Ward, Tokyo. The event featured a unique lighting design created by renowned lighting designer Motoko Ishii.

A Japanese pharmaceutical company has announced the successful commercialization of fiber made from silk produced by bagworms.

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A man with a distinctive snake-like tattoo on his face has been arrested for shoplifting and assaulting a convenience store employee in Tokyo. The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Masakatsu Echizenya, is accused of stealing items from a store around noon on November 15th and violently attacking the employee who confronted him.

Hifumi Kato, affectionately known as 'Hifumin,' has been officially recognized by Guinness World Records for the longest-running chess puzzle column in a magazine.

A male caretaker at Tennoji Zoo in Osaka has been sent to prosecutors on suspicion of stealing vegetables and fruits used as monkey feed.

The operator of a strip theater in Osaka's Tenma district, advertised as "Western Japan's largest," has been arrested alongside nine others for exposing dancers' lower bodies to customers, police announced.

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Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested five people on suspicion of violating Japan's Employment Security Act. They are believed to have run a nationwide operation to recruit women via social media to work in the sex industry. (NHK)

A human hand was discovered protruding from the ground at a cemetery in Nara City on November 18th, around 1:30 p.m.

Tanikawa Shuntaro -- a renowned Japanese poet who used his keen sense of observation in creating a vast body of work -- has died of old age. He was 92. (NHK)