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A man in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture, has become the first to be arrested under Japan's revised anti-stalking legislation.
The 40-year-old man, who has been named as Keiji Shirakawa, was arrested for sending 23 menacing emails to a female coworker, despite her asking him to stop, Fuji TV reported Friday. The woman, in her late 20s, reported the emails to the police, who arrested the man under the new anti-stalking laws, which have been in effect since July.
According to police, Shirakawa sent messages containing warnings such as, "Don't make me angry." However, Shirakawa has denied the charge and was quoted by police as saying that he only emailed the woman when necessary.
In late June, a plenary session of the lower house approved an amendment to the anti-stalking regulations of 2000, aimed at preventing jilted men or women from sending repeated, unsolicited emails to former partners.
The 2000 legislation explicitly made illegal harassment by fax and telephone, but did not include harassment by email.
The new law came in response to a number of high-profile stalking cases. Last November, it was reported that a man who stalked and then murdered his ex-girlfriend in Zushi, Kanagawa Prefecture, had sent more than 1,000 email messages to her cell phone over a two-week period.
The revised law, however, does not cover Facebook and other social networking services.
© Japan Today
21 Comments
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Speed
Why?
jonobugs
Not sure why they would't include other electronic media (such as Twitter, Line) or just make a general clause about it, but honestly, it's so easy to block people you don't want on Facebook.
tadbitter
I sure hope they also check the content to make sure it is actually harrassment, not just reminders to return the key or something. Arrested for sending 23 emails? In this case they said the emails were "menacing", but I'd hate it if "jilted" men and women start to get arrested for sending 15 or 20 emails in the simple hope of winning their loves back again.
Gobshite
E-mails can be blocked too, although this idiot would probably use different addresses if the girl did that. Without seeing the mails it's difficult to know how menacing they were, but I'm sure J cops got it right ;)
CrazyJoe
Prosecute those who send junk mail too.
Lowly
"only emailed her when necessary"
absolutely brilliant answer. this tells us what all stalkers are thinking about their victims at all times. and of course they (stalkers) are always thinking it is themselves who are the victims.
crazyjoe-
best comment, junk mail is definitely a kind of stalking.
Disillusioned
Interesting comment. The only junk mail I get on my iPhone is from SoftBank.
A few years ago my GF was email stalked by her ex. He was sending 20-30 emails everyday. She went to the cops and they couldn't do anything, even though the emails contained many threats to her. He stopped after myself and a few of my friends paid him a visit and pointed out the error in his ways. Had the laws been different at the time he would have been arrested like this clown, so I guess this is a good thing.
Cricky
Great law change, great story...good job J Police.
Lowly
Ya, disillusioned, but you gotta be careful with that, one false step in that situation and it would've been you getting arrested. Especially if you are a gaijin in Jpn, it could've been bad for you. Better if the police can handle it. (I know they don't/ can't always do so).
Disillusioned
Thanks Lowly. You are right, but I have been here a very long time and know how the system works. My friends were from my local karate and kick boxing dojo and all were Japanese. There was no violence involved, but the intimidation level was 10+. He only sent one more email, to apologize.
DudeDeuce
I have a feeling this is going to be one of those laws like most other Japanese laws where they arrest one person to make an example then move on to something else.
NeonFraction
Well, it's... a start?
Vernie Jefferies
Disillusioned great job. If my girl was getting treated that way without any help the police, I would have done the same thing. Nothing wrong with a little friendly intimidation with a smile on your face.
ChibaChick
Totally agree disillusioned, and I will always be grateful for the guy-friends of mine who stepped up for me when it was necessary and quietly took care of a situation for me that I couldnt deal with on my own. Good for you.
Aaron Loki Brummett
Sometimes there is a third party to consider. ten years ago an angry co worker hacked my address books and sent love letters to everyone in my address book... including psycho Sensei! While the stalking accusations were dropped I am quite thankful for the experience. If not for that experience I wouldn't be the killer am I today! The angry co worker had made one mistake. He decided to send a letter to phycho sensei. He learned the hard way how she got that name!
Disillusioned
I never told her about the visit and never will. - Stalking takes many forms and is worldwide. Too many men (losers) prey on ex-GFs and hopefully this new law is a step in the right direction to putting an end to it. Too many women are afraid to break up with their boyfriends or husbands out of fear of the reaction.
tadbitter
Personally, I don't see how sending emails is "stalking". Isn't that a type of harrassment? Probably doesn't matter, but if it comes under something called "anti-stalking" legislation, we don't want things falling through the cracks at a later date.
I've seen a lot of overuse of the term stalking lately. One young woman told me that a slightly older man that likes her is stalking her. I was shocked and worried, so I asked her more about it. It turns out he simply sent her 5 emails in the course of 2 days. She said she was even contemplating actually going out with him. I guess in her terminology "stalking" meant any sort of forward advances, especially through email.
Disillusioned
What do you think stalking is? It's harassment! Furthermore, in the more extreme cases the woman ends up dead! However, in most cases it is just pathetic intimidation and threats. These goons need to learn their behaviour is not acceptable and there is punishment for their BS. And, the irony is, if these pussies would just man-up and accept it they would earn the respect of their ex and possibly even regain their friendship.
tadbitter
If there are harrassment cases and stalking cases, we're going to have to differentiate them. Is a certain action sexual harrassment? Is it stalking? Is it harassment of a different type?
In my unprofessional opinion, stalking would include either gathering information about someone, following them, watching them during their daily routines, or pestering them by turning up all over the place. Is this impression wrong? I'd love to hear from someone in the field- then I can explain it better to my students as well.
Disillusioned
Yeah, exactly Tadbitter! Harassment!
gogogo
Japan is always 5-10 years late to anything