Johnny Somali fined ¥200,000 for "criminal obstruction of a business," fans speculate he could be banned from Japan

On January 10, 2023, reports about controversial Kick streamer Johnny Somali being punished for his antics in Japan went viral on social media. The Osaka District Court issued a fine of ¥200,000 to the content creator on the grounds of "criminal obstruction of a business." According to Yahoo! News Japan, here is what the court said. (Note: the following excerpt has been translated from Japanese):

"The manner of the crime was malicious, as the video was recorded inside the restaurant where other customers were eating and drinking, and music was played at high volume. However, the volume could have been lowered immediately, and there is no change in the fact that he was interfering with business operations. The defendant's criminal responsibility cannot be taken lightly."

X user @mrjeffu posted the information on the social media platform and speculated that Johnny Somali could be banned from Japan. They wrote:

"A Japanese court has found American Kick streamer Johnny Somali guilty of criminal obstruction of a business. Fined 200,000 yen ($1,381). He must leave Japan. Possibly via deportation, with an entry ban to Japan."

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"A more substantial punishment would have been appropriate" - Netizens seemingly unhappy with the Osaka District Court issuing a ¥200,000 fine on Johnny Somali

Johnny Somali is a well-known Kick streamer best known for hosting IRL content. He is considered by many to be a contentious personality, having gone viral for harassing Twitch content creator Meowko. Additionally, he was detained by Japanese authorities for 23 days on October 25, 2023.

Last month (December 20, 2023), reports surfaced on social media that suggested Somali had appeared in a Japanese court. Fast forward to January 10, 2024, it was confirmed that the content creator was fined ¥200,000 for "criminal obstruction of business."

Numerous community members on X have shared their thoughts on the news, with user @BobPi281836 writing:

One netizen expressed disappointment with the court's ruling, writing:

Another user wondered if the Kick streamer received prison time:

X user @apxwsb voiced their dissatisfaction with the prosecution's decision to drop trespassing charges. Claiming that the fine was a "slap on the wrist," the netizen wrote:

"As a Japanese citizen, I am pissed off by the prosecution's decision to drop the charges of trespassing. A 20,000 JPY fine is a slap on the wrist, given that the maximum penalty for obstructing business by force, according to the Japanese penal code, is up to three years imprisonment or a fine of up to 500,000 yen. The prosecution should also have pursued charges for trespassing, an offense punishable by up to three years imprisonment or a fine of up to 100,000 yen."

They went on to say that Johnny Somali should have received a "more substantial punishment":

"Although in Japan we do not typically 'stack prison sentences' as in the United States, a more substantial punishment would have been appropriate in this case to discourage another 'Johnny Somali' wannabes."

Here are some more fan reactions:

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At the time of writing, Johnny Somali had not addressed the penalties imposed by the Osaka District Court. What he has to say about the situation remains to be seen.