On May 8, the National Police Agency gathered police officers from all over the country to declare a war on stalking. This gathering was even held before members of the all-girl pop group AKB48 were attacked by a man with a saw at a handshaking event. (It's still unclear whether the assailant was stalking the girls or not.)

I predict this new effort will end in failure, partly because the police are unwilling to use their so-called secret weapon against stalkers and partly because the laws preventing stalking are fatally flawed.

I never wanted to be prophet, but that's unfortunately what I have become.