Justice Ministry Cancels Netflix 'Love Joto' Tie-Up After Victim Criticism
The ministry reversed its stated position within days, shifting from a plan to keep posters up to a full cancellation after social media criticism centered on whether enough consideration was given to crime victims.
Reporting from 1 source: KAI-YOU.
The Justice Ministry announced on August 21 it will cancel its tie-up with Season 2 of Netflix's romance reality series 'Love Joto'. The Rehabilitation Bureau had partnered with the show to promote rehabilitation, creating posters with slogans like 'Rehabilitation Joto!!' displayed at facilities nationwide. After criticism over consideration for crime victims, the ministry decided to cancel, citing difficulty in fully achieving the original intent, and is notifying facilities to stop displaying posters.
The Justice Ministry's decision on August 21 reverses a stance it took just a day earlier. In an interview with 'Shukan Josei PRIME' published August 20, the ministry said it had no plans to uniformly cease poster displays and would sincerely take in negative opinions.
The tie-up began when Netflix proposed the partnership after the work's completion. The ministry checked the finished episodes in advance before proceeding. Criticism mounted over scenes where participants talk about past experiences of setting fire to others, which some called treating such content as entertainment while a state agency was involved.
The ministry said the cancellation does not deny rehabilitation or social reintegration of those who committed crimes, and that both victim consideration and reintegration support are necessary.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.