World · East Asia & Pacific · 13 hrs ago
Japan court orders councilor to pay damages for outing author Li Kotomi
A Tokyo court ordered councilor Hiromi Muramatsu to pay damages to award-winning author Li Kotomi for revealing private information about her gender transition.
In May 2024, Muramatsu posted on Facebook that Li was assigned male at birth and had not undergone surgery, then later shared her former name and a photo from before her transition.
Li, who is originally from Taiwan, had not publicly disclosed that she is transgender and had been living without sharing that information.
The court said Muramatsu’s posts violated Li’s privacy and ordered her to pay 1.1 million yen; Li had sought 5.5 million yen.
Li said the posts left her with no choice but to publicly disclose that she is transgender.
She won the Akutagawa Prize in 2021, and the court has ordered compensation; the available information does not say whether Muramatsu will appeal.
The Tokyo District Court ordered Kofu assembly member Hiromi Muramatsu to pay author Li Kotomi 1.1 million yen in damages for disclosing personal information about her without consent.
The court ruled that Muramatsu’s posts violated Li’s privacy.
In May 2024, Muramatsu posted on Facebook about Li’s gender and later shared her pre-transition photo and full name.
Li had lived without publicly disclosing that she is transgender.
Li won the Akutagawa Prize in 2021 for her novel “Higanbana ga Saku Shima.”
- Who
- Author Li Kotomi and Kofu assembly member Hiromi Muramatsu.
- What
- Muramatsu was ordered to pay Li 1.1 million yen in damages for disclosing personal information about her without consent.
- When
- The ruling was issued on Thursday, October 29, 2026. The posts were made in May 2024.
- Where
- The Tokyo District Court issued the ruling. Muramatsu posted on Facebook.
- Why
- The court ruled that the disclosures violated Li’s privacy.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Li came to Japan after changing gender from male to female.
Muramatsu posted about Li’s gender on Facebook, then later uploaded a pre-transition photo and her full name.
The Tokyo District Court ordered Muramatsu to pay Li 1.1 million yen in damages.
- Damages
- 1.1 million yen
- Plaintiff
- Li Kotomi, an award-winning author originally from Taiwan
- Defendant
- Hiromi Muramatsu, a Kofu assembly member
- Social media post
- Facebook, May 2024
- Award
- Akutagawa Prize, 2021
3 sources
What people are saying
her body is male, and she has not undergone surgery.