EIN065_Woman with ‘noh mask’ face fined for stalking kabuki actor 【Tambaboon IELTS Lab Sydney Australia】 英語 ニュース オーストラリア

I found noteworthy news on The Japan Times.
The Japan Times reported this story on JUN 30, 1998

The Osaka District Court on Tuesday ordered a woman accused of stalking popular kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke to stay at least 200 meters away from him and pay him 500,000 yen in damages. Ichikawa had filed suit against the unidentified female fan, hoping to ban the woman from theaters at which he performs. According to the court, the woman, who was not named, has been present at almost every performance by Ichikawa since the actor’s February 1992 show in Nobeoka, Miyazaki Prefecture. Flamboyantly dressed, the woman always sat in the front-most seat and stared blankly at the actor, wearing an expression like a “noh mask,” even during comedic scenes, the court said. During the intermission, the woman spread rumors among other fans, claiming to be Ichikawa’s fiancee and saying they would marry soon, it added. The woman also stayed at the same hotels as Ichikawa and rode the same trains, the court said. Ichikawa told the court that the woman’s actions began to scare him and he blamed her conduct for his lack of focus during performances. Ichikawa’s agency asked the woman to stop stalking the actor, but the request was ignored, according to the court. Presiding Judge Masaharu Otani said the woman’s behavior “far exceeded the tolerance limit of the plaintiff, even when considering the fact that the success of a kabuki actor is based on popularity.”

Statement analysis
-------------------------------

1. The Osaka District Court on Tuesday ordered 
2. a woman accused of stalking popular kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke 
3. to stay at least 200 meters away from him and 
4. pay him 500,000 yen in damages.

1. Ichikawa had filed suit 
2. against the unidentified female fan, 
3. hoping to ban the woman from theaters at which he performs.

1. According to the court, 
2. the woman, 
3. who was not named, 
4. has been present at almost every performance by Ichikawa 
5. since the actor’s February 1992 show in Nobeoka, Miyazaki Prefecture.

1. Flamboyantly dressed, 
2. the woman always sat in the front-most seat and stared blankly at the actor, 
3. wearing an expression like a “noh mask,” 
4. even during comedic scenes, 
5. the court said. 

1. During the intermission, 
2. the woman spread rumors among other fans, 
3. claiming to be Ichikawa’s fiancee and 
4. saying they would marry soon, 
5. it added.

1. The woman also stayed at the same hotels as Ichikawa and 
2. rode the same trains, 
3. the court said. 

1. Ichikawa told the court 
2. that the woman’s actions began to scare him and 
3. he blamed her conduct for his lack of focus during performances. 
4. Ichikawa’s agency asked the woman to stop stalking the actor, 
5. but the request was ignored, 
6. according to the court.

1. Presiding Judge Masaharu Otani said 
2. the woman’s behavior “far exceeded the tolerance limit of the plaintiff, 
3. even when considering the fact 
4. that the success of a kabuki actor is based on popularity.”

Word vocabulary - English
-------------------------------------------
district court
a state of federal trial court.

file
submit (a legal document, application, or charge) to be placed on record by the appropriate authority.

suit
short for lawsuit.

unidentified
not recognized or identified.

flamboyantly
in a fancy colorful manner;

stare
look fixedly or vacantly at someone or something with one's eyes wide open.


blankly
without expression; in a blank manner;

intermission
a pause or break.

claim
state or assert that something is the case, typically without providing evidence or proof

fiancee
a woman who is engaged to be married.

conduct
the manner in which a person behaves, especially on a particular occasion or in a particular context.

plaintiff
a person who brings a case against another in a court of law.

Word vocabulary - Japanese
----------------------------------------------
Noh mask
能面

district court
地方裁判所、地裁

accused of
《be ～》～で告訴されている、～を非難される、～のそしりを受ける

file
fáil
【1-自動-1】届けを出す、申請する、出願す
【1-他動-3】（書類などを）提出する
【1-他動-4】（苦情・請求・要求・訴えなどを）申し立てる、正式に提起する、提訴する
【＠】ファイル、【変化】《動》files | filing | filed

suit
súːt
【名-2】《法律》控訴、訴訟
【＠】スーツ、スート、【変化】《動》suits | suiting | suited

unidentified
【形】（正体）未確認の、確認できない、身元不明の、国籍不明の、正体不明の
【＠】アンアイデンティファイド、【分節】un・identified

flamboyantly
【副】けばけばしく、大げさに、派手に

stare
stéə[r]
【自動】じろじろ見る、見つめる、じっと見る、凝視する
【他動】～をじろじろ見る、見つめる、じっと見る、凝視する
【＠】ステア、【変化】《動》stares | staring | stared

blankly
【副-1】ぼんやりと、ぽかんとして
【副-2】完全に、きっぱりと

intermission
ìntə[r]míʃn
【名】幕あい、休止、中断、合間、休憩時間
【＠】インターミッション、インタミッション、
【変化】《複》intermissions、【分節】in・ter・mis・sion

claim
kléim
【他動-1】（証拠なしに～が本当であると）主張する、断言する
【＠】クレイム、【変化】《動》claims | claiming | claimed

fiancee
【名】（男性から見た女性の）フィアンセ、婚約者
【変化】《複》fiancees

conduct
[v]kəndʌ́kt,,[n]kɑ́ndʌkt
【名-1】行為、品行、振る舞い、日ごろの行い
【＠】カンダクト、コンダクト、【
変化】《動》conducts | conducting | conducted、【分節】con・duct

plaintiff
pléintif
【名】原告、起訴人、提訴人◆【反】defendant（被告）
【変化】《複》plaintiffs、【分節】plain・tiff

even when
～のときでさえ

----------------------------

Support  /  困った時の連絡先 

National Stalking Helpline
http://www.stalkinghelpline.org/

Australia：　Stalking - Where do I go for help
http://www.wire.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Stalking-Info-Sheet1.pdf

Japan：　HOME ALSOK ストーカー対策室
https://www.alsok.co.jp/person/stalker/


Reference
-----------------------------
The Japan Times. (1998). Woman with ‘noh mask’ face fined for stalking kabuki actor.  Available: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/1998/06/30/national/woman-with-noh-mask-face-fined-for-stalking-kabuki-actor/#.U5m5gfl_sp9
Last accessed 12th June 2014.

「"ストーカー事案の認知件数の推移"」『ＡＬＳＯＫニュース』より。 URL: http://www.alsok.co.jp/company/news/news_release_details.htm?alpc_news.news_detail%5Bid%5D=2335