Japanese woman awarded S$12,525 after lawsuit against partner secretly married with children

A Japanese woman received 1.51 million yen (S$12,525) from the Tokyo District Court after suing her partner for failing to disclose his marital status and the existence of his children. The pair met on a dating app in May 2023, where the woman explicitly stated she was not interested in married men. Despite this, the man engaged in an on-and-off sexual relationship with her for four months before abruptly ceasing contact. The court ruled that his deception violated her “right to chastity,” citing Japanese law which invalidates consent obtained through lies regarding the intention to engage in consensual sex.

The woman initially sought 7.82 million yen (S$64,866) in damages, but the awarded amount was limited by the legal cap for violations of this right, typically around 3 million yen (S$24,885). The court considered the specific circumstances of the case, including the absence of pregnancy, when determining the final sum.

The case was treated as a civil matter, as there was no evidence of physical or mental coercion. The woman, an employee of a foreign company, filed the lawsuit against the man, who works for a major advertising agency.

(Source：Mothership.)