A photo montage in the November 21, 2013 issue of Shukan Jitsuwa, published by Tokyo-based Nihon Journal, included a photo montage that showed topless illustrations of the plaintiffs, including Atsuko Maeda, a former member of AKB48 and actress Haruka Ayase.
“The article was intended to inspire a strong sense of shame or discomfort for the plaintiffs,” said presiding judge Koji Hasegawa. “It is an insulting act that crossed the line.”
The requested amount by the plaintiffs was 11 million yen each.
A representative of Nihon Journal refused to comment on the ruling since its content was not yet available.
