Falsifying a relationship status can land you with a massive bill.

Romance is a beautiful thing: two strangers creating a bond that will tie them together for a lifetime of love and joy. Sadly, not every relationship endures, whether it be due to simply having different goals in life or being subjected to your partner’s dishonesty. In Japan, romantic deception can result in more than just tears, actually landing you in a civil court and facing a huge lawsuit, and a recent case demonstrates just how expensive how romantic falsehoods can get.

On June 23, the Tokyo District Court ordered a married man to pay over 4.6 million yen (US$28,400) in damages for practicing what is known locally as dokushin giso, or “fake singlehood”. According to the case details, a woman in her 30s dated the man in question for about two years under the false premise that he was a single divorcé, after being introduced through friends. In fact, the relationship had reached such a serious stage that the couple had already undergone fertility treatment together, which ultimately resulted in a pregnancy.

▼ How do you even explain this to your future child?

However, despite the man claiming he had decided to marry the woman after two months of dating and filling out a marriage registration form, it was eventually found out that he was still married. After the pregnancy advanced, and with no further signs of progression towards marriage, she eventually became suspicious and confronted him, leading to his confession that he was not divorced and already had children. The woman, who later gave birth, joined her parents in filing a lawsuit seeking a hefty 19 million yen in compensation. According to the Japan Civil Code (Articles 709 and 710), anyone who intentionally or negligently infringes upon another person’s rights is legally liable to compensate for the resulting damages, which can include mental distress and emotional suffering.

In fake singlehood cases like this, the court rules that lying about being single infringes upon a person’s teisoken, or the legal right to sexual autonomy and the freedom to choose a romantic partner. As this is a violation of civil rights rather than a criminal law, a person can’t actually face any criminal charges or jail time for purporting singlehood. No money or property has changed hands, so it doesn’t fall under the umbrella of “fraud”, nor is it considered to be a sexual offense, which means that police don’t have any room for prosecution. However, in lieu of a criminal record, the civil courts are more than happy to drain the bank account of the person in question.

While the man admitted to the lie in court, his defense was pretty casual, claiming that he was considering a divorce when they met. As time went on, the relationship just “continued aimlessly” because he missed the right timing to break it off. This didn’t go over too well with the court, with them ruling in the favor of the deceived partner.

▼ “There was never a good time.”

The story may not end up coming to a conclusion there, either, because there is another party to this whole debacle: the betrayed spouse. In Japan, though it is rare, if someone has an affair, the partner can sue the one who committed the affair for emotional distress under the same articles of the Civil Code for disrupting the legal peace of the marriage, which could see him paying up even more. The spouse could also potentially go after the woman her husband cheated on her with, depending on how distressed or vindictive she’s feeling.

So, if you’re ever considering dating in Japan, it pays to be completely honest about your circumstances, since thinking “just one little lie couldn’t possibly hurt anyone” could result in you paying a lot more than you were expecting in compensation.

Source: Nitele News via Livedoor News
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert images: Pakutaso (1, 2)
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