The National Compensation Lawsuit and the public funds issue in Tokyo Pursued by Mr Himasora

1. National Compensation Lawsuit:

Akane Himasora, a game creator and author, gained attention for his involvement in a national compensation lawsuit against the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Governor Yuriko Koike. In this lawsuit, Himasora accused the government of improperly refusing to disclose public documents related to subsidies for organizations involved in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Support Project for Young Female Victims. Himasora had requested the disclosure of application documents submitted by these organizations, suspecting irregularities in how the subsidies were granted.

The Tokyo government denied his request, citing concerns that unsuccessful applicants might face criticism. However, Himasora argued that the names of the subsidized organizations had already been made public at the time of the non-disclosure decision, rendering the government’s reasoning invalid. The Tokyo District Court ruled in Mr Himasora's favour, ordering the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to revoke the non-disclosure decision and pay Himasora ¥11,000 in damages.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike filed an appeal through a special administrative measure, but it was dismissed.

Despite this significant legal victory, the lawsuit received little coverage from major media outlets, which sparked controversy and led to public discussions about media bias and the state of journalism in Japan.