The mother of Hana Kimura, a former cast member of the popular reality TV show "Terrace House," said Thursday she will file a lawsuit next year against the show's Japanese broadcaster and a production company seeking compensation for the suicide of her daughter.
Speaking at a press conference in Tokyo with her lawyer, Kyoko Kimura said she wanted Fuji Television Network Inc. and the production company to "sincerely" investigate the reason for her daughter's suicide and "clarify in court whether the human rights of the cast were protected."
Hana, 22, was among the six cast members of the 2019-2020 season of "Terrace House Tokyo." The professional wrestler was found dead at her apartment in Tokyo in May 2020 after becoming the target of a barrage of hateful messages on social media. The show has since been canceled.
According to the 44-year-old mother and her legal team, the lawsuit will focus on whether Fuji Television and the production company intentionally staged and edited scenes to portray the cast in a demeaning manner.
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It also seeks to hold both companies accountable for continuing to broadcast the series despite Hana engaging in self-harm after a March 2020 episode, which showed her losing her temper, triggered cyberbullying against her.
Kimura said that a week or so before her death, Hana had said the producers "don't treat the cast like human beings."
As a preliminary step to the suit, Kimura has filed a motion with the Tokyo District Court to preserve evidence, including unreleased footage from the show, which was also aired on U.S. streaming service Netflix with English subtitles.
The court last Friday ordered the production company to present material such as unedited tapes and scripts.
As the company has refused to comply, Kimura is considering filing a petition for the court to officially issue an order.
Fuji Television and the production company have declined to comment while the case is pending.
Kimura has been continuing her efforts to identify and seek damages from those who posted hateful comments about her daughter, with two men indicted and fined so far.
In May, the Tokyo District Court also awarded her about 1.29 million yen ($11,300) in damages from a man who posted hateful messages about her daughter after her death.
Kimura also filed a complaint in July 2020 to the Broadcasting Ethics & Program Improvement Organization, claiming the reality show violated her daughter's personal and human rights.
In March, the organization concluded the show was ethically problematic.
Emergency service in Japan: 119
If you are having suicidal thoughts, help is available.
For Japan, call Yorisoi Hotline at 0120279338 (toll-free). Press 2 after the recorded message for consultation in English, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, Nepali, or Indonesian. The service in these languages is also available on Facebook messenger.
For those outside Japan, you can find a list of other resources here.
