TOKYO (TR) – A woman in her 30s is awaiting a court verdict after suing a married man who posed as a divorcee, dated her for two years and impregnated her.
The case highlights a disturbing legal loophole in Japan known as “bachelor fraud,” reports Nippon News Network (June 20).
The woman, operating under the pseudonym “Mayu,” met the man in August 2022 through mutual friends while actively searching for a marriage partner. To maintain his elaborate ruse, the man falsely claimed he was divorced.
He went as far as meeting her parents on multiple occasions, actively participating in fertility treatments, and even filling out a marriage registration form where he checked the box for “divorced.”
After roughly two years of dating and undergoing fertility treatments, Mayu became pregnant. However, as discussions about an actual wedding continuously stalled, she grew suspicious.
During a confrontation at her home in October 2024, the man finally dropped to his hands and knees in a traditional dogeza apology. He confessed that he was entirely legally married to another woman and already had children.
“Aimlessly continue”
Mayu subsequently filed a civil lawsuit seeking damages, with the Tokyo court scheduled to hand down its verdict on June 23.
During the proceedings, the man admitted to lying about his marital status. However, his defense argued that he had initially planned to divorce his wife when they began dating, and ultimately just “missed the timing to end the relationship” with Mayu, allowing it to “aimlessly continue.”
Mayu’s case is far from an isolated incident. The practice of dokushin gisou (bachelor fraud) is increasingly being recognized as a severe social issue. A support group for victims established two years ago has received hundreds of consultations. In a recent online survey of 207 victims, 42 reported becoming pregnant by married men posing as singles.
Despite the devastating emotional and life-altering consequences for the victims, Japanese criminal law currently offers little recourse.
Cannot be charged with marriage fraud
Legal experts point out that because no money or property is stolen, perpetrators cannot be charged with traditional marriage fraud. Furthermore, deceiving someone about marital status to obtain sex does not meet the current legal threshold for non-consensual intercourse.
As a result, victims are forced to pursue civil litigation, where damages often amount to a mere few hundred thousand yen — barely enough to cover a plaintiff’s legal fees. Facing these uphill battles, many victims simply drop the matter in tears.
Advocates and victims’ groups are now heavily pushing for legal reforms to criminalize the deceptive practice.
Mayu, who gave birth to a baby girl last year as a result of the deception, hopes her lawsuit will serve as a public warning.
“More than my own hardship, I’m constantly worried about whether my daughter will feel sad or lonely,” she said. “I want my case to be reported widely, so that the number of men who think about doing this decreases, even just a little.”
