Japan is no exception and efforts are belatedly being made to tackle the problem, from dedicated lawyers to teams monitoring social media for offensive posts. “That’s a real shame.”Chida was part of a dedicated team of JOC officials monitoring social media at the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February. Japan has been relatively late to the party, according to lawyer Shun Takahashi, who leads a seven-strong legal group dedicated to protecting athletes from online abuse. The domestic nature of Sekine’s case made it easier to prosecute than social media abuse that crosses international borders. But while Japan is now taking a proactive approach to online abuse, those involved say there is still a long way to go.

Source: Bangkok Post April 09, 2026 03:58 UTC