Revised online hate speech law in Japan and early evidence of its effectiveness

Purpose The rise of online hate speech around the world in recent years has prompted many nations to reassess their laws and consider harsher penalties for offenders to deter such harmful behavior and foster a more positive online environment. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of such legislation in Japan, where a revised law was enacted in June 2022, significantly increasing fines and introducing potential jail time for online insults. Design/methodology/approach Our study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining an observational analysis of Japanese Twitter data with a survey of Japanese undergraduate students. Findings We find that this stricter law has had a minimal impact on the behavior of Twitter users. Specifically, the toxicity level of Japanese tweets has not shown substantial changes since the law’s implementation. Meanwhile, our survey finds that the majority of survey participants are not aware of the legislation change. Additionally, survey participants significantly underestimate the penalties for offenders and are not particularly confident that offenders will be arrested. These findings underscore the critical role of public awareness in effectively deterring undesirable online conduct through legislation. Originality/value Our work is among the first empirical studies to evaluate the real-world impact of online hate speech legislation in Japan. It emphasizes that stricter law alone is insufficient to influence behavior without public awareness and trust in enforcement.