By Hanae
Edited by Harith Syafiee
TOKYO, 26th May 2024: Harassing phone calls is a global problem, with particularly severe incidents reported in Japan. The frequency of repeated calls happens at such a pace that it's difficult to conceive if the offenders even get time to sleep or eat.
What's even more bizarre is that these obsessive callers frequently target the cops directly. The most recent incident concerns a 55-year-old woman's arrest in Kanagawa Prefecture on May 15th for allegedly obstructing business activities.
According to police reports, the woman made about 1,200 calls between December 20 and December 27, each time using derogatory language such as “Why are you even here?” and “Merry Christmas, die!”
Upon her arrest, the woman was predictably uncooperative, claiming she had no memory of anything. Online reactions, however, suggest that her remarks won't be forgotten for a very long time by news readers.
“Merry Christmas, die! Ha! I love it.”
“I’m totally going to use that on Twitter.”
“Perfect choice of words.”
“It’s both cheerful and rude.”
“She should have stopped at 1,100 times.”
“She sounds like a real tsundere.”
“If only she could use that power for good.”
“Why does it take the police so long to arrest someone after getting 1,200 calls in eight days?”
The last question has no definitive answer, although it seems mostly a matter of motivation according to Very Best Law Firm, which has written extensively on the nuances of harassment calls on its website. Following an arrest, the police have 23 days to prepare a case to present to the public prosecutor.
Throughout this time, the police had to establish that the woman intentionally acted maliciously and severely hindering their business, rather than being in a state of mental instability. If the defendant demonstrates regret or pays up, prosecutors still tend to postpone charges roughly 57% of the time, which makes the investigation appear pointless.
Therefore, the police had to decide whether or not to investigate on the first day of 150 calls, especially since they were the victims and not just regular civilians. Allowing her to exhaust herself might be a simpler option, and should she persist, the ongoing harassment would support their business case obstruction and increase the worth of the investigation.
Nevertheless, if these abusive calls keep occurring, as they seem to be doing, the police and prosecutors may resort to more aggressive measures to combat the issue going forward.***
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