A man accused of being a member of a far-right group in Japan who posted anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant propaganda online has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.
A court in the western city of Kumamoto handed down the verdict on Monday, citing the fact that the man, whose real name is Yuki Saito, had been accused of “insulting religion” with a blog post about the group, the Tokyo Shimbun reported.
The blogger, whose identity was not disclosed, was sentenced for making “incitement to hatred and discrimination,” according to the report.
A police investigation has revealed that the blogger was “acting as an agent for an international hate group,” the report added.
The Tokyo Daily News reported that the suspect’s blog post was seen as inflammatory by many Japanese, including many who supported the group’s anti-immigration stance.
Saito is also accused of making “propaganda against foreigners and Japanese nationals,” as well as “inciting hatred against foreigners,” the paper added.
