Society

#MeToo movement journalist sues lawmaker for liking defaming tweets

Aug 21 (Kyodo) - Shiori Ito, a journalist and symbol of Japan's #MeToo movement, sued ruling party member Mio Sugita for damages on Thursday for allegedly clicking the "like" icon on several tweets she says defamed her.

In a suit filed with the Tokyo District Court, Ito is seeking 2.2 million yen ($21,000) in damages from Sugita for liking tweets by other people. The lawmaker, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, allegedly criticized Ito on Twitter and on a BBC program between June and July 2018, according to the complaint.

In a country where few sexual assault victims come forward, Ito, 31, has become a symbol of Japan's movement against sexual abuse after going public with a rape accusation against Noriyuki Yamaguchi, a former Washington bureau chief of Tokyo Broadcasting System Television Inc.

The district court last December ordered Yamaguchi, a biographer of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, to pay 3.3 million yen in damages to Ito, recognizing he "had sexual intercourse without the consent of Ito, who was in a state of intoxication and unconscious."

Speaking at a press conference in Tokyo, Ito's lawyer said that liking the tweets is the equivalent of "group bullying," adding Sugita must be responsible for her remarks even if it is in cyberspace.

Typhoon No. 24 (Fung-shen) Moves Toward Vietnam, Heavy Rain Forecast For Japan

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

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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.

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