A man in his 20s has been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of defamation after he allegedly wrote online that the bereaved family of the Ikebukuro car crash was trying to profit from the death of their daughter, investigative sources said.
The family lost a wife and daughter seven years ago when a car plowed into pedestrians in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. The man is suspected of posting the remark on social media, NHK reported.
The post read that the family was "trying to make money off the daughter who died," according to the report. Police have not disclosed whether the man has admitted to the allegation.
Defamation cases built on social media posts have grown more common in Japan, where police now routinely trace accounts and refer suspects to prosecutors. The family in this case had spoken publicly about the crash, making them visible targets online.