Japan Ministry of Justice to review Civil Code over online defamation

The Japanese Ministry of Justice will establish a study group to review provisions regarding torts within the Civil Code. Justice Minister Takashi Yamashita announced the move following a cabinet meeting, noting that the current regulations have remained largely unchanged since the Civil Code was established in 1896.

The primary objective is to clarify the standards for calculating consolation money (solatium) in response to the increasing severity of online defamation. The review also aims to address the statute of limitations for damages claims, specifically concerning sexual offenses against minors, to prevent cases where victims are unable to seek legal recourse due to time constraints.

Minister Yamashita stated that it is necessary to examine regulations for rights violations that were not anticipated when the code was originally enacted.