Legal Dating apps: concealing marital status comes at a price

Maiko started dating a man who told her he was single, only to discover later he had a wife and child. This lie turned her world upside down, leading her to sue him for the deception. On 8 December, the Tokyo District Court ruled in her favour, ordering the man to pay about 1.51 million yen (around $9,700) in damages. That decision has now been finalised, officially holding him accountable for his actions.

The presiding judge recognized that the man was aware Maiko had hoped for a relationship leading to marriage. He noted that the man deceived Maiko into believing he was single and started a relationship that included the possibility of marriage, engaging in many sexual encounters. The judge concluded that "intentionally concealing his marital status and repeatedly engaging in sexual activity constitutes a deliberate offense that violates the plaintiff's right to chastity," and ordered the man to pay damages.

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Criminal charges such as rape cannot be applied to deception of marital status, and compensation for violating the right to chastity is typically limited to hundreds of thousands of yen (several thousand dollars). Maiko and other victims are calling for legal revisions to address what they see as an unjust status quo.