I’m Maezawa from the President’s Office.
At the earlier stage—for example, if the other person’s wife contacts you by phone and says she intends to claim compensation—you have not yet formally been presented with a compensation claim. If you handle the situation properly, it may still be possible to avoid a claim altogether.
For example, if the man told you that he was single:
In that case, there was no intent on your part, so the issue would likely be how much negligence you could be said to have had. If there was neither intent nor negligence, a claim for compensation would not be recognized.
That said, in most cases, some degree of negligence is deemed to have existed, so this can be quite difficult. However, if you had the man sign and date a written statement saying something like, “I am definitely single,” then although the chances are slim, it might be possible to establish that you were not negligent.
Another issue is whether the other party actually has evidence proving that this was an affair in the first place.
If all you did was go shopping together or have meals together, I don’t think you would be asked to pay compensation. It may be possible to resolve things simply by saying that you will not see him again.
For that reason, I think you need to find out how much evidence the other party has—such as whether they hired a private investigator and obtained photographs of you entering a hotel.
The time you really need to worry is when you receive a certified letter.
At that point, I recommend consulting a lawyer.
> “I can’t afford to hire a lawyer.”
Why not try using Houterasu, the Japan Legal Support Center?
Consultations are free, and they can also take on your case at a reduced fee. In addition, their advance-payment assistance program allows you to pay in installments.
If your monthly income is ¥200,000 or less in a major metropolitan area, or ¥180,000 or less elsewhere, you likely meet the requirements.
When it comes to disputes, the best thing to do is consult a lawyer who specializes in these matters.
This is Saito, the columnist♪
Since this is a matter of free choice in dating, you’re ultimately responsible for your own decisions. But if possible, I think it would be a good idea to consult other papas and try various ways of handling the situation.
I’m not sure whether I should share this here, but a woman I met through Universe Club once came to me for advice after something similar happened to her.
She suddenly received a call from an unfamiliar number. When she answered, it turned out to be the wife of a male member.
At first, she simply listened carefully and patiently to the wife. Apparently, the man had been meeting multiple women not only through Universe, but also through other apps and dating sites, and little by little, the woman ended up becoming someone the wife confided in.
The wife had initially intended to demand compensation from her, but in the end, they reached an extraordinary resolution: “You handled my concerns properly, so I won’t sue you—the only one I won’t take legal action against.”
It’s an extremely rare situation, but it really happened.
And apparently, that man is still out there enjoying himself to this day? Presumably?
