crime

Man charged over online abuse after 'Terrace House' star's suicide

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¥9000! Talk about adding insult to injury. Just goes to show that bullying is an accepted part of the culture.

9 ( +15 / -6 )

Maybe we can try to keep in mind that anonymous comments can hurt.--even if you are a pink-haired professional wrestler and TV celebrity.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Hiding behind the keyboard and insulting someone, causing depression, suicide...That guy should be punished severely.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

What a slap in the face

7 ( +9 / -2 )

That creep's punishment is a 9,000 yen (US$82) fine?

He deserves LIFE!

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

If the penalty is so miniscule and basically just paperwork at the police station, the best thing would be to release his name and picture so the rest of the country knows who the loser is and either break ties with him or avoid him.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

"either break ties with him or avoid him"

they coddle and keep them for ...

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

While symbolic, this is an important message that personal attacks have consequences, even online. An important point is how will this charge be attached to the culprit: usually, getting arrested/charged for a serious offense will kill your career in Japan, not sure about this "charge for making public insults".

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I'm sorry but I just don't see a crime here. If she was facing a tremendous amount of abuse online, as this article is insinuating, then why the heck didn't she just delete her account?! No one forced her to read the comments. No one forced her to keep her account. The guy is an idiot for writing those things, but she's also to blame for reading them.

2 ( +13 / -11 )

Man, a 9,000 Yen fine for driving someone to take their own life? They are really cracking down.

The irony of them protecting his identity to prevent him from being subject to a torrent of online abuse is hard to ignore.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

'You have such an awful personality. Is your life worth living?'

'Hey, hey. When will you die?'

"everyone will be happy if you're gone"

Well... It's not exactly a threat.

Are we not allowed to say that we can't stand someone?

There's loads of TV presenters I can't stand. Am I not allowed to dislike someone? Am I not allowed to say so?

No direct threat was made.

This post will make many of you hate me. Meh. Your morals are 'better' than mine ain't they? You're allowed to force your opinion on others... I'm not allowed to express my opinion. You're allowed to demand this guy gets a slap, gets a huge fine, goes to prison (just read above). But he's not allowed to say equally as harmless things to the opposite.

If someone puts so much store in others opinions... Is affected so deeply by such comments... Then I dare say they are not suited to a celebrity life in the first place. Something tells me her life would have ended in depression regardless of public opinion

1 ( +9 / -8 )

Kimura was just an actress playing a part in a fantasy world called Reality TV. The guy is a loser but I’m not seeing a crime here.

7 ( +13 / -6 )

As a general rule, anyone on television, athletes, celebrities, YouTubers, social influencers, politicians, Reality TV stars etc are going to be critisized or insulted at some point by both known and unknown people. I think if you are going to read the comments people leave, you better have thick skin.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

For too many people, the default solution to any social problem is more laws, more crimes and more arrests. Eventually, with every little interaction in life governed by the police, you have the very definition of a police state.

Not everything is solved by arresting people. It often makes things worse. If this law were applied across the board, many commenters here would be subject to arrest as well.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Unpopular Opinion. It is sad that a life was lost, however with Social Media comes alot of trolls. You have to be strong and be able to take the harassment..That is just part if being "online". Don't get it twisted..I am not sticking up for this guy, but I am sure not ONE single person said damaging things. Heck, I get bullied daily on social media but I just shrug it off..Have tough skin or get off it.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Terrace House should have come out and told the public she had been ordered to act mean on the show. I get the impression that protecting the image of the show was more important than protecting Ms. Kimura.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

This is a pretty bad precedent. The government is holding a person indirectly responsible for a public person's suicide through the use of software without a trial, explanation of evidence, or admission of guilt. So ultimately we have nothing but a "feeling" to determine digital harassment and it consequences. What a waste of time.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Not everything is solved by arresting people. It often makes things worse. If this law were applied across the board, many commenters here would be subject to arrest as well.

Sure, not everything is solved by arresting people. But most things we do don’t result in people dying. Also, this guy wasn’t arrested, he was basically issued the equivalent of a parking ticket.

I’m not sure what the best solution to this problem is, but I don’t see how letting people bully others into suicide without facing any legal consequences whatsoever, which seems to be what you are advocating, makes any sense.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

rainyday: a 9,000 Yen fine for driving someone to take their own life?

rainyday: letting people bully others into suicide

I disagree with this concept. Bullying doesn't force anyone to take their own life. It can contribute to it, but the target of the bullying unquestionably has a choice regarding how they're going to react to it. Kimura was an adult, not an impressionable child. She participated in and read comments on social media 100% voluntarily - she could've walked away and deleted her accounts if the comments were upsetting her. What happened was incredibly tragic, but it's a dangerous precedent to lay the responsibility for her death in the hands of one idiot.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

@the original wing

I 100% agree! The only person responsible for her "death" is herself. No one MADE her do it. She chose to do it. Like you said, she was not a mindless child.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Local media said a Tokyo court had issued an order to fine him 9,000 yen.

That'll teach him. This country better learn how to punish people real quick.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

RareReason Today 09:38 am JST

'You have such an awful personality. Is your life worth living?'

'Hey, hey. When will you die?'

"everyone will be happy if you're gone"

Well... It's not exactly a threat.

Are we not allowed to say that we can't stand someone?

There's loads of TV presenters I can't stand. Am I not allowed to dislike someone? Am I not allowed to say so?

No direct threat was made.

This post will make many of you hate me

However many will also agree with your opinion, me included.

The above troll-comments might be annoying but they are no threats.

To accuse this person that his comments were pushing a celebrity straight into suicide is by far over the top.

People have to learn how to use the delete-button and to ignore such stupid messages.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Terrace House should have come out and told the public she had been ordered to act mean on the show. I get the impression that protecting the image of the show was more important than protecting Ms. Kimura.

Indeed. The producers seem to be getting a slap on the wrist. Though her mother is suing them.

The producers should release the housemates from their NDAs. Reportedly her talent agency was against her leaving the show despite her desire to leave.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Also, I strongly dislike the legal precedent this sets. A crime should be defined as a specific action, without connecting it to a particular outcome. For example, if I drive my car through a red light and it causes an accident, I'll get a traffic ticket and a fine. But if I drive through a red light and nothing bad happens - I will still get a ticket and a fine. That's fair. The punishment is based on the action, not the outcome. But what about this internet troll? If he had made the same comments toward Kimura, but she didn't kill herself, there would've been no legal ramifications. No fine. No story. The troll is being punished based on the outcome, rather than on his actions.

If we start punishing people based on outcomes rather than actions, we're all in deep trouble. What if I catch my partner cheating on me and I get angry and shout "I hope you die!" and my partner then commits suicide - am I legally responsible? What if I'm a newspaper critic and I write a scathing review of a new book, and then the writer commits suicide - am I legally responsible? What if I beat someone in a tennis match, and they get so upset that they kill themselves - am I legally responsible? The point is - the punishment against Kimura's troll sets a dangerous precedent if we're judging it based on outcome, whereas the same action would've been fine and unpunished had Kimura responded in a different way.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

This is a pretty bad precedent. The government is holding a person indirectly responsible for a public person's suicide through the use of software without a trial, explanation of evidence, or admission of guilt. So ultimately we have nothing but a "feeling" to determine digital harassment and it consequences. What a waste of time.

This is terrible precedent! Guilty because someone got their feelings hurt? Bad decision. Bad direction!

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Everybody wants to be right but I think it is more important to be kind. Whatever our feelings about the outcome of this, let's try to remember the poor young woman who took her own life and her family who must be devastated by this. Abusing people online can be just as hurtful as doing it to them face to face.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It should be taught to everyone that the internet and the social media are not the reality, but only some moving electrons in copper cables or on circuit boards, forming byte streams. It’s all virtual and as such it has to be treated.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I think one thing celebrities should learn by their agents or shows is to not take social media attacks so seriously. They will have lots crap thrown at them by losers hiding behind their keyboards. It's just a fact and will happen.

I just don't see "go die" comments disappearing from the Internet. I think social media education might be a good thing for stars. Also for teens for that matter.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Haven't been in the detail of this one, but unless the prosecutors can prove that his comments were a cause of her suicide, then how exactly do you want him to get life or some other severe punishment? He is charged and convicted for public insults - if 9000 is the fine, what else do you expect the prosecutors to do?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Local media said a Tokyo court had issued an order to fine him 9,000 yen.

How did the court come up with that figure? Either he did comit a crime or he did not. But a small fine like a parking ticket? That is just ridiculous.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

How did the court come up with that figure? Either he did comit a crime or he did not. But a small fine like a parking ticket? That is just ridiculous.

Crime? What crime?

'You have such an awful personality. Is your life worth living?' and 'Hey, hey. When will you die?'"

He sounds like a turd, but where exactly is the crime here? He doesn't like her personality and said it is awful. So what? He questions the value of her continuing to live? Terrible thing to do, but illegal? When will you die? Again, not seeing a crime here.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

@The Original WingToday 12:17 pm JST

Bullying doesn't force anyone to take their own life. It can contribute to it, but the target of the bullying unquestionably has a choice regarding how they're going to react to it.

That's really ... fact sensitive, I'll say. For example, escape or fighting back is not necessarily an option for all victims of the bullied, and prolonged bullying can get to the point where clinical depression or other mental disorders start popping up. In this condition, the brain's biochemistry itself is in an abnormal state and at that point free will is limited or gone. The idea that we really are in complete control right up to the point we leap off the building is not compatible with modern medical science.

@kohakuebisuToday 10:13 am JST

Terrace House should have come out and told the public she had been ordered to act mean on the show. I get the impression that protecting the image of the show was more important than protecting Ms. Kimura.

Isn't that obvious? Do people of normal intelligence really think that actors on a show are acting in ways other than as instructed by a director, no matter how immersed they are while watching the show?

@Thomas TankToday 04:37 pm JST

He doesn't like her personality and said it is awful.

Also, if the actress had a brain, she should have been able to reason that those comments are likely more directed at her on-stage persona as designed by the director and storyboarding people. It might even be an encouragement, seeing that at least one viewer is clearly really getting into the show.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Like it or not, hate speech is free speech. If we start policing what people say, we'll be heading towards state's suppression of our rights. We cannot give more power to authorities.

But, the guy is an awful human being. He's a consequence of our freedom.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

A crime should be defined as a specific action, without connecting it to a particular outcome. For example, if I drive my car through a red light and it causes an accident, I'll get a traffic ticket and a fine. But if I drive through a red light and nothing bad happens - I will still get a ticket and a fine. That's fair. 

Um, what about murder? That is a crime connected to a particular outcome (death) and not a specific action (whether you shoot, stab, strangle etc the victim its all the same).

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@The Original Wing Today 01:14 pm JST

For example, if I drive my car through a red light and it causes an accident, I'll get a traffic ticket and a fine. But if I drive through a red light and nothing bad happens - I will still get a ticket and a fine.

Let me demonstrate one disadvantage of your idea - you seem to be assuming the penalty is locked to what is typical now for a consequence-less violation. What if we lock it to the higher end of the consequence scale? That will still be having the same punishment for the same action, but now you not only get multi-year prison for causing an accident but also if nothing happened and further nothing could have happened (it was night, and there were no cars within one kilometer).

0 ( +1 / -1 )

They really threw the book at him didn't they, pathetic result!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Also, if the actress had a brain

Careful! You're risking a 9000 yen fine! 草

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This is an insult.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Nagoya ChrisMar. 31  02:40 pm JST

Abusing people online can be just as hurtful as doing it to them face to face.

It's very easy to hurl out insults online, when all you have is a screen and a keypad in front of you, and no one to answer back. I bet he wouldn't have dared do it to her face.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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