2025 Hate Speech Damages Lawsuit by Korean Residents in Japan

In 2025, the Tokyo District Court heard a civil lawsuit filed by Korean residents in Japan, including Lee Joon-ho and Mindan, against ultranationalist group Zaitokukai and its former leader Makoto Sakurai. The plaintiffs claimed that repeated hate speech demonstrations outside Korean schools and residential areas in 2024 caused severe psychological distress, violating their personal rights. They sought approximately 30 million yen in damages and a public apology. The case is part of a broader legal effort to combat anti-Korean hate speech under Japan's 2016 Hate Speech Elimination Act.

The Tokyo District Court ruled partially in favor of the plaintiffs, ordering Makoto Sakurai and Zaitokukai to pay 12 million yen in compensation. The court recognized the speech as racially discriminatory and beyond protected expression, but dismissed the demand for a formal apology, citing its unenforceability.

Whether the defendants' organized demonstrations and xenophobic slurs constitute illegal tortious acts under Article 709 of the Japanese Civil Code, and how to balance freedom of expression against the protection of ethnic minorities' dignity, especially in light of the non-punitive Hate Speech Elimination Act.

The ruling was hailed by human rights organizations as a landmark for minority protection in Japan. It prompted renewed parliamentary debate on criminalizing hate speech. South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the decision, but far-right groups in Japan protested, temporarily straining local community relations.