crime

Gunma man arrested for attempted marriage of woman without her knowledge

36 Comments
By SoraNews24

There comes a time in some people’s lives when the urge to settle down and get married kicks in. However, marriage requires hard work and patience to lay a solid foundation through a series of major steps, the hardest of which is asking someone out in the first place.

Wouldn’t it be nice to skip all that fear of rejection and subsequent emotional investment, and just get right to the honeymoon? That’s what one 39-year-old man in Isesaki City, Gunma Prefecture thought, but paid the price for it.

In late September of last year, the man walked into his local government office and submitted the necessary documents to register for marriage with a woman in her thirties. All the paperwork was in order and signed in the traditional Japanese manner of a hanko stamp bearing the owner’s family name.

The only problem was that the woman had no idea what was happening. Although everyone has one unique registered hanko for signing documents, less official back-up stamps can also be easily bought at most stationery stores for less important purposes like signing for packages or letters from school. While such a stamp wouldn’t hold up if challenged in court, it was enough to pass a basic check in this case.

Presumably, after either the man or the government broke the news to the new bride, she immediately called the police. They were then able to cancel the marriage registration before it was finalized. The man was arrested on Jan 5 for forgery and is said to have admitted to the charges, telling police that he wanted to marry the woman because he liked her.

While the police are probably busy advising the suspect on matters of the heart and the law, readers of the news were understandably creeped out that such a weird crime had gotten as far as it did.

“That guy’s crazy.”

“Put him in prison.”

“I know how he feels, but that’s something you just fantasize about doing.”

“It would have worked if the woman was Hatsune Miku.”

“That’s too creepy.”

“I’m a little jealous, because I’ve never met someone I was that into.”

“The scary part is that the government accepted it.”

There have been stories of “divorce without consent” in the past, in which one partner files for divorce without the other person knowing, but this is a very rare case of marriage without consent.

As such, it’s hard to say what kind of penalty awaits the suspect, but hopefully it’s enough to send a clear message that you can’t just go around marrying people as you please. That’s what VR is for.

*Source: TBS News, *Otaku.com

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

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© SoraNews24

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36 Comments
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They were then able to cancel the marriage registration before it was finalized

What would have happened if the registration was finalized?

12 ( +12 / -0 )

In late September of last year, the man walked into his local government office and submitted the necessary documents to register for marriage with a woman in her thirties. All the paperwork was in order and signed in the traditional Japanese manner of a hanko stamp bearing the owner’s family name. The only problem was that the woman had no idea what was happening

Only in Japan that people can marry and divorce without other party's consent. No need for each party to show up to make a filling.

https://soranews24.com/2017/05/02/awareness-campaign-warns-foreigners-in-japan-of-divorce-without-consent/

10 ( +15 / -5 )

Both people should be present, change the law.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

File this with in the "hanko are archaic and easily misused" bin.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

I'm always amazed that in this land of endless rules and regulations about trivial nonsense, there are so many serious and important things that aren't regulated properly.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Whenever someone says to me they are engaged I always tell them the same thing. Don’t do it they seem nice now but you wait you will find out and then it will be too late. My wife overheard me one time and told me to shut up and I said “yes dear” …

I think this guy got off easy. If you think I am joking all I can say is you will find and you will be sorry. Lol.

Got to go my wife needs help with the kids.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

I always found it strange that they don't require both parties present for registering marriages and divorces in Japan. Divorce without your partner’s knowledge seems fairly easy. Marriage on the other hand… how did he know the woman’s honseki and all the other personal info? Maybe he was crazy enough to hire a PI?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Both parties don’t have to present themselves in-person? - Wondering if we’ll start to see more such contract fraud and abuses coming Apr 2022 when 18 year olds can ‘sign’ contracts?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Really, what century is this:“*They were then able to cancel the marriage registration before it was finalized.” *??

Reads like a 1900’s silent film where a mustachioed villain has a girl tied to the train tracks til she agrees to marry him and signs the deed to her family’s property.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Agree with lots of the posters about having both parties present. They need to revise that law pronto. This guy is just another weirdo and you can see scores like him on any given day, especially in the Tokyo-Yokohama area, where the weirdo quotient is extremely high. The police shouldn't be 'busy advising the suspect on matters of the heart and law' but throwing the book at him and making sure he knows this is a serious crime and no innocent love story.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

My experience is that it is very easy getting married in Japan and a nightmare to get divorced. I know a guy 5 years after starting divorce proceedings still not finalized. Something is wrong here.

Divorce takes 5 minutes in Japan.

As long as the 2 can agree on a few basic points, all it takes is both parties filling in their sections infront of 2 witnesses who they hanko and say they saw it. Drop the paper off at the city office a week later done, you are divorced.

It is only when one party contests, or refuses the divorce does it take years just like is does in most other countries when both parties cannot agree.

One of my siblings back home got divorced, despite having an agreement with the ex spouse and everything signed, the government procedures will still take 6 months to a year to finalise had they been in Japan it would have been done in a day.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Sounds like he definitely needs a virtual wife.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

There have been stories of “divorce without consent” in the past, in which one partner files for divorce without the other person knowing, 

Yes and I have known 3 people that had this problem and the partners that forged the divorce papers were never arrested or charge, to be exact all 3 faced considerable troubles with child custody, reversing the falsified divorce.

It seems that the government's solution to the falsified divorce situation was to create another bureaucracy by having an "anti divorce" form. Yes if you think your spouse may try filling a false divorce agreement, you can submit a form blocking all divorce fillings for a 6 month period unless you are physically present.

So I guess now they will create a similar " anti marriage" form blocking blocking marriage fillings in the same way of block divorce.

I mean isn't that the Japanese government way more forms more bureaucracy.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

...are...are both parties not required to be present when registering for a marriage? I mean...W-H-A-T?!!

Men in this country seem to fail to understand the meaning of courtship - one does not try to falsify documents in order to get a partner. How about trying for some good old-fashioned communication where you ask them out for a date? I mean what did this guy expect - that after the marriage documents were finalized, the woman was going to just throw up her hands in defeat and move in with him? He's clearly delusional.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

No, nor for marriage or divorce in Japan only the names and hanko of the couple and 2 witnesses.

A long time ago now, but that's my memory. No mention in the article, but presumably he also forged the witness signings. I thought one of the witnesses also had to go to the city office, but I may be wrong about that.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Gunma man arrested for attempted marriage of woman without her knowledge"

If this were possible in the U.S., I wonder how many 'wives' that slugs like Bezos or Koch or Gates would find themselves with...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

We’re WHAT?!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

ahhh...but hankos are much more secure than signatures....LLF

Japan sure has some crazy kooks

0 ( +1 / -1 )

snowymountainhellToday  09:23 am JST

Both parties don’t have to present themselves in-person?

No, nor for marriage or divorce in Japan only the names and hanko of the couple and 2 witnesses.

But if anyone thinks this is archaic and strange, compare that to the fact that in many western countries, getting married over the internet is now possible with one future spouse being in one country the other in and from another country and the person supposedly officiating the marriage is another location with no one actually able to verify who is who.

Covid has actually contributed to an explosion of such marriages so that the couples can get one permission to immigrate to the other's country despite travel restrictions.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

but divorce shouldn't need to be something both agree on, if one person wants out then it's over no matter what.

Are you being serious or sarcastic?

If serious then obviously you haven't been married, have no children, etc...

Japan as we have recently been reminded has no dual custody the divorce paper indicates who gets the children, then there are the properties like house, car, etc...

Child support if children are involved, etc...

A man wanting to go off with his younger girlfriend could under your proposed thinking, just drop off divorce papers leave the children with his wife and leave no more responsibilities.

Think about it.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Are you being serious or sarcastic?

If serious then obviously you haven't been married, have no children, etc...

Japan as we have recently been reminded has no dual custody the divorce paper indicates who gets the children, then there are the properties like house, car, etc...

Child support if children are involved, etc...

A man wanting to go off with his younger girlfriend could under your proposed thinking, just drop off divorce papers leave the children with his wife and leave no more responsibilities.

Think about it.

Actually I'm both married and have children. Marriage is one thing and children and other legal issues is another, not needing consent doesn't mean you get to leave without consequences or that you can do so quietly. I just don't like the idea that some seem to see marriage as some kind of ownership of their partner. What one person wants to do should be up to them, even if the process is neither quick or easy. As for Japanese laws, they are shitty both ways, men easily getting away from supporting their kids without consequence and men that wants to be part of their kids lives but are not allowed to. Not having dual custody in this day and age is crazy.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The only problem was that the woman had no idea what was happening.

I’d say there’s a lot more problems to worry about if the govt actually went along with it, without both parties present.

No logic Japan strikes again!

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Understood @Antiquesavings 11:31am. Japan really seems to perpetuate it’s own problems. Seemingly an endless bureaucracy to protect (and tax) its citizens at every turn it still providing plenty of loopholes for which the savvy (unscrupulous) can take advantage.

*Both parties don’t have to present themselves in-person*?

No, nor for marriage or divorce in Japan only the names and hanko of the couple and 2 witnesses.

An acquaintance’s father-in-law has recently been uncovered to have been in the process of initiating his pre-sale and ‘retirement’ from successful businesses in three separate prefectures and his steps toward a third ‘marriage’. Both families (now allies) have since ‘clipped his wings’; ))

(btw: good to see your in fair health again. - Best Wishes.)

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Admittedly, ‘the west’ has its own issues with marriage, deception, paternity and their resultant, lengthy divorces @Reckless 11:56am. - It took the former California governor’s ex-spouse 10 years to finally get the settlement the way she wanted. (And child support was not needed nor requested):

Dec 31,2021: - https://japantoday.com/category/entertainment/schwarzenegger-and-shriver-divorce-final-after-10-years

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

News like these are so common in Japan and amazed to read about.

If film was done, would like to see the intensity of guy waiting to make sure it is happening soon until the final movement, boom!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Funniest story of the week!!

Hats off to this guy - he refused to be hidebound by the moribund rules of bourgeois society and with a bit of lateral thinking solved the problem of all that time and money spent courting and the possibility of rejection. Kudos!

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Marriage without consent is obviously a problem but not sure why people think divorce without consent is an issue. Of course they should be notified etc, but divorce shouldn't need to be something both agree on, if one person wants out then it's over no matter what.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

That's hilarious !

Oh by the way i had us legally married today , i hope you don't mind .

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Marrying a Japanese woman is precisely the thing one wishing to be sexually intimate with her should avoid.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

All the commenters here saying they should change the law & require both parties to be present for marriage/divorce. How can we expect companies to allow BOTH people a half day off to go register on the same date? All companies are extremely busy and cannot possibly allow it! /s

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

harjinderaheerToday  09:32 am JST

very nice! (⌒▽⌒)

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

As a shy Japanese man he did show some restraint in a ‘slow burn courtship’. He probably thought he’d get the difficult paperwork out of the way, first. Later, when he yanked her off the street, drugged her and chained her in the basement, he be able to show neighbors (and eventually, police) she was legally his ?

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Oh, the horror. And certainly, bash the use of the hanko, as archaic.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

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