Japanese blogger stabbed to death after internet abuse seminar
Japanese blogger stabbed to death after internet abuse
seminar
Cybercrime expert Kenichiro Okamoto reportedly killed by
man who abused him online
Justin McCurry in Tokyo Tue 26 Jun 2018 07.07 EDT
One of Japan’s most prominent bloggers has been stabbed
to death minutes after giving a seminar on how to resolve personal disputes on
the internet.
Media reports said Kenichiro Okamoto, better known by his
blogger name Hagex, died on Sunday evening after reportedly being attacked by a
man he had argued with online.
The suspect, Hidemitsu Matsumoto, allegedly followed
Okamoto into the toilets after he had ended his talk at a venue in the
south-western city of Fukuoka.
Okamoto was stabbed several times before staggering out
of the toilets after his assailant, who fled on a bicycle, according to the
Mainichi Shimbun newspaper.
Okamoto, who sustained stab wounds to the chest and neck,
was taken to hospital where he was confirmed dead. His attacker reportedly
handed himself in almost three hours after the attack.
Moments before the fatal stabbing, the 41-year-old had
shared advice at a public event on how to deal with online disputes.
According to reports, the suspect had posted messages
containing personal abuse directed at Okamoto and other commenters on the blog.
The Mainichi quoted a source as saying that Okamoto “had got into trouble
before with internet users over the content of the blog”.
In a message purportedly written immediately after the
stabbing, Matsumoto said he had continued to abuse Okamoto by opening a new
account every time his existing account was deleted.
He added: “I am going to go now to my neighborhood police
box to voluntarily surrender and take responsibility for my actions.”
Matsumoto, 42, reportedly confessed to stabbing Okamoto,
telling police he had grown to “hate” the celebrity blogger and wanted to kill
him.
Regarded as a leading expert on cybercrime and the dark
web, Okamoto worked for an IT security consulting firm and made regular TV
appearances.
Japanese Twitter users paid tribute to the blogger, with
many voicing disbelief over the violent nature of his death. “Rest in peace,
Hagex,” one user wrote.
The IT journalist Daisuke Tsuda said he was shocked to
learn of Okamoto’s death. “How could this have happened?” he wrote.
Online personalities and journalists are often victims of
online abuse in Japan, where attempts are being made to crack down on hate
speech.
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