The Tokyo District Court has ordered Tokyo-based Shogakukan Inc. to pay 1.7
million yen in damages to Kaoru Kuroki, who retired in 1994. She had demanded
22 million yen.
"The sensational articles that revealed the private life of the plaintiff, who
now lives as an ordinary citizen, are illegal," Presiding Judge Izumi Takizawa
said as he handed down the ruling.
Kuroki's lawyer said the publisher should have gained approval from his client
for publishing the articles. "It can't be said all stories of this kind are
illegal, but the publisher should have gained her consent," lawyer Wataru
Akiyama said.
Shogakukan said it is considering appealing to a higher court. "It's
regrettable that our claim was dismissed. We'll consider how to respond to the
ruling after closely reviewing it," an official of its public relations
division said.
The articles that were deemed illegal were run in an issue of Josei Seven in
January 2002 and a Shukan Post issue in January 2004. The stories reported on
her post-retirement private life, complete with photos taken secretly.
In court hearings, the defendant justified its decision. "The recent private
life of the plaintiff, who led a unique life as an entertainer, is a matter of
social concern."
However, the judge dismissed the claim, saying, "The defendant's revelations of
her privacy are unjustifiable." The court also deemed that the publication of
the photos was also illegal.
Copyright 1999-2007, Mainchi Daily. Used with permission. All rights
reserved. No content may be reproduced in whole or part without written
permission. Please contact us via the link below for re-print and
syndication policies or visit Mainchi Daily at http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/
for more information on Mainchi stories.
