Mother of late 'Terrace House' star sues man over hateful posts

Mar 17, 2021 | News On Japan

Mar 17, 2021 (Japan Times) - The mother of Hana Kimura, a cast member from popular reality TV show “Terrace House” who apparently took her own life after being subjected to hateful messages online, has sued a man for posting distressing comments about her after her daughter’s death, the mother’s lawyers said Wednesday.

Kyoko Kimura filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court on Jan. 22 seeking damages of around Y2.94 million against the man for causing emotional distress to her family. It is the first damages claim made for hateful comments about Kimura, a professional wrestler who was 22 when she died, according to the lawyers.

The man posted hateful messages about Kimura’s death, such as “Everyone is happier that you died, thank you,” and “Who do you think you are, causing trouble until the end? Go to hell,” in May last year, according to the lawsuit.

Kimura’s case raised the alarm about cyberbullying and prompted calls for more action to stop and track down anonymous posters of hateful messages.

The man, from Nagano Prefecture, was identified after legislation approved last month made it easier to track down anonymous posters and simplified court procedures to help victims of cyberbullying seek information on their harassers.

The mother is currently working to reveal the identities of cyberbullies in connection with her daughter’s death to press for their accountability.

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