Regarding the conviction of freelance writer Zenro Fujikura (Supreme Court)

In January 2018, freelance writer Zenro Fujikura, who had been repeatedly notified by our organization of being banned from entering our facilities and events, trespassed into our facility (First Turning of the Wheel Memorial Hall) without permission and took unauthorized photographs in the no-photography area. As a result of our organization filing a damage report with the police, a criminal trial for trespassing was held. On February 21, 2025, the Supreme Court, following the High Court, decided to dismiss Fujikura's appeal, and it was confirmed on March 8. This confirms the district court's guilty verdict for trespassing (a fine of 100,000 yen, with a two-year suspended sentence) from March 15, 2021.

Furthermore, in the High Court ruling on this case (June 28, 2023, dismissal of Fujikura's appeal),

① It was stated that the freedom of reporting is not without any restrictions and that there is a need to adjust rights with those being reported on.

② It was stated that those being reported on do not have an obligation to endure such reporting.

③ While the discretion of who to allow entry is fundamentally left to the management authority (Happy Science), the degree to which the defendant's (Fujikura's) entry contradicted the prior notification of being banned from related facilities by Happy Science was high.

④ The actions taken upon entry, such as filming in areas with signs stating "Unauthorized reporting, recording, and filming are strictly prohibited," disturbed the peace of the facility.

Based on these points, the defendant's entry cannot be justified, and there is no error in the original judgment (district court ruling).

Our group's comment on this matter is as follows.

Happy Science Group Public Relations Bureau