People having their sexual orientation or gender identity revealed without their consent has become a deepening problem in Japan, a country known for its culture in which the "nail that sticks out gets hammered down."

In recent years, there have been a growing number of cases in which a person has been outed by someone they trust, sometimes resulting in the affected person feeling they have to quit school or work to escape the fallout.

In the most tragic cases, outings have affected victims' well-being, causing some to suffer mental health issues or even take their own lives. Experts argue that such malicious or careless intrusions into someone's personal life should be considered discriminatory and possible grounds for criminal charges.