Japan To Look Into Expanding Cyberbullying Laws After Death Of Hana Kimura

The wrestling world was rocked on May 23 after the passing of Stardom star Hana Kimura at the age of 22. Kimura was a victim of online harassment before her death which intensified after a March episode of Terrace House depicted her as a villain after she yelled at another contestant for shrinking her wrestling gear.

In response to her passing, the Japanese Government will look to expand cyberbullying laws in the country. Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Takaichi Sanae announced in a press conference on Tuesday she plans to revise an existing law which allows cyberbullying victims to request personal information on their abusers. The current law requires victims to request the information from internet service providers but experts say the posters are impossible to identify in most cases.

Takaichi said: "It's necessary to properly implement procedures to disclose information on senders in order to curb online abuses and rescue victims."

She is hoping to pass a law by the end of the year and has established a research group at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to consider revisions to the current law, such as speeding up the process for victims to get personal information on their abusers. The government and the main opposition party in Japan have also agreed to discuss the matter in parliament.

H/T: Variety