Ministry of Justice holds study group to review civil law after social media slander, debate over increase in compensation

On the 30th, the Ministry of Justice held the first meeting in Tokyo of a study group (chaired by Waseda University Professor Keizo Yamamoto) on the state of the ``unlawful act'' provisions stipulated in the Civil Code, with a view to raising compensation fees for slander on social media. Other points of contention include a review of the statute of limitations for claims for compensation for child sex crimes and the protection of personal rights after death.

Torts are acts that infringe on the rights and interests of others and are subject to compensation for damages. The provisions regarding this have not changed significantly since the Civil Code was enacted in 1896. In recent years, with the spread of the Internet, violations of personal rights such as privacy rights, honor rights, and portrait rights have become more serious, and there are increasing calls for a review.

The amount of alimony is usually decided at the discretion of the court, with reference to past precedents. According to a survey released by the Ministry of Justice in April, 46.6% of the 118 cases claiming compensation for rights infringement on the Internet resulted in compensation of less than 300,000 yen. In light of these circumstances, the study group will consider whether it is possible to specify in the Civil Code the factors that should be taken into consideration when calculating compensation, such as the nature of the damage and the viciousness of the act.

The statute of limitations for the right to claim compensation for damage to life or body is five years from the time the victim becomes aware of the damage and the perpetrator. However, when minors are victims of sexual crimes, it sometimes takes time for them to be able to disclose the facts. Under the Criminal Procedure Code, the statute of limitations begins to run after a minor sex crime victim becomes an adult, and the study group will consider whether similar measures can be taken.