Overview
- The Tokyo District Court ruled on June 23, 2026 that the defendant's false claim of being single violated the plaintiff's 'chastity rights' and ordered him to pay about ¥460,000–¥466,000 while dismissing the parents' separate claims.
- Court records show the couple met in August 2022, the man represented himself as divorced, they filled out a marriage‑registration form early in the relationship, and the woman later underwent fertility treatment and became pregnant.
- The man admitted in October 2024, during a confrontation with an acquaintance present, that he had a wife and children, and the woman was later diagnosed with depression before giving birth in 2025.
- Plaintiffs had sought roughly ¥17–19.5 million in total, but the court awarded a modest sum to the woman based on non‑physical harm, citing the signed marriage form, the treatment and pregnancy timeline, and medical records as key evidence.
- The ruling clarifies that intentional marital‑status deception can be compensable under Japan's concept of chastity rights and may shape how courts handle future cases while leaving open questions about how damages for emotional and reproductive harms will be assessed.