The Tokyo District Court on Tuesday ordered a freelance journalist quoted in a magazine article to pay ¥1 million in damages to Oricon Inc. for stating that its music charts are fixed and inaccurately rank the tunes.
Oricon sued music journalist Hiromichi Ugaya, 45, for ¥50 million in damages and an apology. The case has drawn attention because Ugaya did not write the article and was merely quoted in it.
In handing down the ruling, presiding Judge Yutaka Watahiki said the well-known writer's remarks were "not acceptable as being true." He also said Ugaya's comments caused considerable damage to Oricon's reputation and "had more than a small effect on the public."