While many in Japan may disagree with the opinions of 2chan netizens, few would disagree that the message boards are a pillar of Japanese internet culture, and sometimes even popular culture, as in the case of the 2ch romance thread that became Densha Otoko.
So the news that 2chan founder Nishimura Hiroyuki has been referred to the public prosecutors for failing to delete information posted on the site’s message boards that was related to the purchase and sale of illegal substances, has naturally struck a chord with 2ch netizens.
From Yahoo! Japan:
2Chan Founder Referred To Public Prosecutors On Suspicion of Neglecting Illegal Information Relating To Purchase and Sale of Drugs
On December 20, police announced that the founder of 2 Channel, Nishimura Hiroyuki (36) was referred to the public prosecutors under suspicion of contravening the Narcotics Special Law (aiding and abetting), having allegedly neglected illegal information on the internet message board 2 Channel, and for helping to sell illegal drugs. He has not responded to police calls for voluntary questioning. As regards messages written on internet message boards, it is extremely unusual for investigators to question the responsibility of those who run websites.
According to the Cybercrime Unit, the case referred to prosecutors involves ignoring numerous posts inviting the buying and selling of illegal substances, and that on May 7 last year (2011) Nishimura helped an unemployed man in his fifties to post content offering the purchase and sale of amphetamines.
So far as the illegal information is concerned, 2 Channel continually failed to respond to several requests by police that content be removed, and last year, out of 5223 requests to remove content, 5068 had been ignored.
Comments from Itai News:
名無しさん＠１３周年:
Hiroyuki ＼(^o^)／ wwwwwww
名無しさん＠１３周年：
The police are over-doing it.
名無しさん＠１３周年：
Is this for real?
名無しさん＠１３周年：
It’s all kicking off for Hiroyuki
名無しさん＠１３周年：
So he’s finally been arrested…? I guess this is a separate incident.
名無しさん＠１３周年：
He was literally just arrested right now. New year’s in prison?
名無しさん＠１３周年：
I really feel sorry for Hiroyuki. It’s all because the police are so inept.
名無しさん＠１３周年：
So is it aiding and abetting because he didn’t delete a comment?
名無しさん＠１３周年：
It’s a mystery to me why the blog company who were advertising the fraudulent auctions weren’t indicted.
名無しさん＠１３周年:
If they’re going this far they may as well refer the cell phone carriers to the public prosecutor. The providers as well.
名無しさん＠１３周年:
They should also indict the banks for aiding and abetting with fraudulent money transfers.
名無しさん＠１３周年：
The beginning of the end
名無しさん＠１３周年：
So you get arrested just for not cleaning graffiti from a bathroom stall?
名無しさん＠１３周年：
Hiroyuki hasn’t even done anything wrong. All the police ever do is let the bad guys go free and get in the way of people unrelated to the crimes.
名無しさん＠１３周年：
They should arrest the heads of the police bureau who haven’t arrested the traffickers in Tokyo for aiding and abetting too.
名無しさん＠１３周年:
If 2chan goes bust where should we go?
名無しさん＠１３周年：
Referring a case to prosecutors for aiding and abetting in a drugs case without having made an arrest…I’m sorry, but it looks like they’re going to pin it on him anyway.
名無しさん＠１３周年：
2 Channel is being made the sworn enemy of the police w
名無しさん＠１３周年:
So there are arrests even only for being the founder or the former administrator?
名無しさん＠１３周年：
Same as Horiemon [Livedoor founder]. They’re making an example of them to show what happens if you go against the power of the state.
名無しさん＠１３周年：
So aren’t websites that have illegal videos uploaded on them also committing an offence?
名無しさん＠１３周年:
If it’s just a fine then it’s hardly even a fart. I mean, wouldn’t he rather be happy to be talked about?
名無しさん＠１３周年：
Isn’t this going a bit far? It’s pretty strange.
名無しさん＠１３周年：
If it goes to trial can he win? If he loses you can bet your bottom dollar that the police will never mention 2ch again.
名無しさん＠１３周年：
I think there are definitely people who they should arrest before him…
