Man ordered to pay $512,000 in damages to singer he stabbed near Tokyo concert venue
Tomohiro Iwazaki, an inmate serving a 14 1/2-year prison sentence for attempted murder and other charges over the crime, was ordered to pay the damages to Mayu Tomita, who fell into a critical condition after being stabbed by the man with a knife in May 2016 in the Tokyo suburban city of Koganei. Tomita and her mother had sought 76 million yen in damages from him.
According to the complaint, Iwazaki became a fan of Tomita after learning about her in a magazine around 2014 and unilaterally harbored affection for her. In 2016, he attempted to give her a gift at a concert venue and ask for her contact information, only to be rejected by her. The man then posted comments on social media such as "Die," hinting at harming Tomita.
Concerned that she "might get killed," Tomita consulted the Metropolitan Police Department. Iwazaki nevertheless assaulted her near her concert venue, stabbing 34 parts of her body, leaving her with critical injuries.
In the lawsuit, Tomita claimed that she was left with extremely serious permanent disabilities. Iwazaki did not submit a document refuting her.
Following the incident, social media was added to the subject of regulations under the Anti-Stalking Act, besides email and phone calls.
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