KOBE -- An antistalking law that cleared the Diet in May and goes into effect in November is being called insufficient, and speakers at a recent symposium here are calling for new, tougher legislation and urging police to change their attitudes about stalking.
A representative from a citizens' group that supports stalking victims, a man whose sister was killed last year when her former boyfriend stalked her in a car and crashed into a vehicle she was in, and lawyers who have taken a special interest in such cases all voiced concerns about loopholes in the law.
The law includes provisions for prison terms of up to six months or fines of up to 500,000 yen for individuals against whom stalking complaints have been filed and who fail to cease the harassment after receiving a police warning.