Japan moves to outlaw child porn possession - exempts portrayal in manga and anime

[Dram]

http://www.scmp.com/article/1525181/japan-moves-outlaw-child-porn-possession

Japan edged closer to banning the possession of child pornography on Wednesday, the last major developed country to do so, but pedophilia portrayed in the country’s popular manga comic books will be exempt.

Under Japan’s current legislation, only the production and distribution of child pornography are banned, a situation that campaigners say is damaging to children.

On Wednesday the lower-house Committee on Judicial Affairs was discussing a bill to expand the scope of the legislation, a parliamentary official said.

Jiji Press news agency said the committee was expected to decide during the day to submit the bill to the main chamber.

The legislation will likely be quickly passed and sent to the upper house before the current parliament session ends on June 22, the agency said.

A revised law would ban possession of photographs and videos depicting real children, but would exclude comics and “anime” video, following calls to protect freedom of expression, Jiji said.

Anyone found guilty of possessing the material could face imprisonment of up to one year, or fines of up to 1 million yen (HK$75,701), it said.

In order to encourage disposal of material, the penalties would be delayed for one year after the revised law comes info force, Jiji said.

Japan is the only member of the G7 group of industrialised nations where the possession of child porn remains legal, while it is banned and subject to penalties in more than 70 countries.

It is seen as a major global source of child pornography in photo and video form.

Police data have shown the number of victims hit a new record of 646 in 2013 only for those minors identified. This number, however, is believed to be just the tip of the iceberg.

While it is unusual to see people openly reading paedophilic manga in public, mainstream comics read by commuters sometimes contain sexualised images that many Westerners find unpalatable.

 

[ponpo]

Good. I will increasing my Tokyo protests to get illustrated kinds banned as well. Stay mad moegaf!

Spoiler

they'd probably add a clause protecting 1000 year old witches / yokai

 

[corn_fest]

I had no idea the real thing wasn't illegal there. The fuck?

 

[harSon]

Wat... I sort of just assumed it was already banned...............

 

[Acerac]

Logical decision all around.

 

[CheesecakeRecipe]

Add in manga and anime portrayal and you've got yourself a step in the right direction. Shit be disgusting, son.

 

[Savitar]

Manga sales are about to pick up aren't they.

 

[A-V-B]

How the hell has it taken them this long?

 

[BajiBoxer]

Good news, but I'm a little shocked that real child porn was not outlawed already. Had no idea.

 

[googleplex]

Wait.... It wasn't illegal already?

 

[ponpo]

Manga sales are about to pick up aren't they.

No they'll probably just buy a bunch of JK gravure idol stuff now. If that isn't being made illegal, anyway (probably not)

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

I had no idea the real thing wasn't illegal there. The fuck?

Wat... I sort of just assumed it was already banned...............

Wait.... It wasn't illegal already?

Good news, but I'm a little shocked that real child porn was not outlawed already. Had no idea.

.

 

[Phocks]

Oh so my friend really wasn't joking about seeing CP in Akihabara when he went to Japan.

 

[harSon]

Punishments Delayed so people have time to destroy stuff. Wat. I don't even understand. Are their legions of sick fucks in the country with mountains of child pornography?

 

[Black Republican]

How the hell has it taken them this long?

skeletons in certain higher ups closets me thinks

 

[Zomba13]

Wat... I sort of just assumed it was already banned...............

This. How the hell is that sort of thing not already illegal?

 

[jmdajr]

I had no idea the real thing wasn't illegal there. The fuck?

That's fucked up

 

[FiggyCal]

Edit: Oops. I guess it isn't for most of the country.

 

[Ferrio]

I thought it was like a decade ago?

 

[Volimar]

Holy shit at possession of child porn not being illegal in a developed country.

There'll probably always be exemptions in manga for characters that are over 18 but look underage.

Damn, Japan.

 

[googleplex]

Add in manga and anime portrayal and you've got yourself a step in the right direction. Shit be disgusting, son.

As disgusting as it is, you'd then be moving into censorship/thought crime territory.

 

[dekline]

Holy fuck it's LEGAL THERE

 

[Crayons]

Holy fuck it's LEGAL THERE

Production/distribution has been illegal, but not possession (until now)

 

[massoluk]

Is this being aimed at those preteen idol swimsuit videos things? I have a feeling the actual underage porn shits should have been illegal already.
edit:

Production/distribution has been illegal, but not possession (until now)

Oh i see.

 

[Skinpop]

This. How the hell is that sort of thing not already illegal?

I guess it's a case of where the intention of the original law was to ban it but it turned out not to be efficient in doing so. In theory if production and distribution is illegal then it shouldn't exist. That's my guess anyway.

 

[ponpo]

Is this being aimed at those preteen idol swimsuit videos things? I have a feeling these shits should have been illegal already.

That's not pornography / those aren't illegal (now)

 

[Crayons]

Add in manga and anime portrayal and you've got yourself a step in the right direction. Shit be disgusting, son.

It's disgusting, but it's freedom of expression. It's just drawn.

 

[A-V-B]

Production/distribution has been illegal, but not possession (until now)

Huh.

Wait, huh?

 

[Riposte]

I thought they did this already, but then they were also late on banning the selling of it (late 90s?). Probably related to the World Cup.

Anime and manga shouldn't need to be exempted in the first place, as it doesn't exploit children and every participant of the activity of making or reading adult manga is an adult.

 

[unholyrevenger72]

Well alright, now can we get the whole "censored genitalia" thing removed.

 

[GraveRobberX]

Production/distribution has been illegal, but not possession (until now)

 

[harSon]

I'm legitimately pissed the fuck off that Japan is drawing up legislation in 20 fucking 14 to outlaw the possession of child pornography. I mean, what the fuck. Why. How the fuck does something that morally repugnant remain for so long?

 

[A-V-B]

Well alright, now can we get the whole "censored genitalia" thing removed.

That's like, a part of their culture now, isn't it? MacArthur did a real piece of work on them.

 

[QuiteWhittle]

I had no idea the real thing wasn't illegal there. The fuck?

Yeah what the hell.

 

[Two Words]

Add in manga and anime portrayal and you've got yourself a step in the right direction. Shit be disgusting, son.

Drawings should never be illegal.

 

[Messofanego]

Whoah, this is news to me.

 

[RedHotChimiChanga]

Hentai industry saved...?

I thought the whole thing was specifically to outlaw the manga/anime depictions.

 

[Data West]

well it's apparently ok if she looks like a child as long as she's 1000 year olds. is what i've been told.

 

[ZealousD]

Oh so my friend really wasn't joking about seeing CP in Akihabara when he went to Japan.

I wasn't able to spend much time in Akihabara, but I did go to Niplonbashi in Osaka. It really is kind if amazing how available their pornograhpic content is. Even video game stores get pervy on the top levels. Didn't see any CP, though. Just loli manga/anime stuff.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

Edit: Oops. I guess it isn't for most of the country.

No. It's a weird situation; the national age on the books is 13 I believe (old information), but every prefecture has laws that raise it to 16-18.

I honestly didn't know possession was legal. That's fucked and hopefully illustrations get added to the fire too.

Damn edits/slow typing

 

[StayDead]

Drawings should never be illegal.

This has always been my stance. If it helps people get off whatever their fetish and nobody is being hurt then that's a plus point I'd say since it helps reduce actual violent crimes. Much like normal pornography helps reduce rape cases as people can get off without hurting anyone.

 

[Mesoian]

Logical decision all around.

I mean...

I dunno.

Part of me doesn't want artistic integrity trampled on.

Part of me is sick and tired of books and shows who's sole purpose is showing 14 years olds having sex.

Torn I guess.

 

[Monocle]

Add in manga and anime portrayal and you've got yourself a step in the right direction. Shit be disgusting, son.

Nah, censorship is bad. It's just art. As gross as that stuff is, its production doesn't victimize real children.

 

[Two Words]

I mean...

I dunno.

Part of me doesn't want artistic integrity trampled on.

Part of me is sick and tired of books and shows who's sole purpose is showing 14 years olds having sex.

Torn I guess.

This is just banning real children being abused, not hentai/manga.

 

[Yoda]

I assumed it was illegal... They don't actually produce any of this do they?

 

[Mesoian]

Hentai industry saved...?

I thought the whole thing was specifically to outlaw the manga/anime depictions.

It was. That failed.

This is just banning real children being abused, not hentai/manga.

I know, I'm saying part of me wishes it included manga and hentai.

And then part of me doesn't.

 

[ZealousD]

Free speech exists to protect content that people find objectionable or controversial.

 

[Verelios]

Pretty crazy. How is it that those who are in possession of child pornography didn't have it sold/distributed to them? Shouldn't that be a huge priority, in part just to show that JPN isn't lenient on CP itself (>.>).

Of couse the distribution channels won't be investigated. One year to clean it up right?

 

[massoluk]

It was. That failed.



I know, I'm saying part of me wishes it included manga and hentai.

And then part of me doesn't.

Come on now. If it does include manga, Doraemon would have been illegal because of Shizuka is always taking a bath.

 

[Crayons]

Part of me doesn't want artistic integrity trampled on.

Part of me is sick and tired of books and shows who's sole purpose is showing 14 years olds having sex.

Torn I guess.

...Then why are you reading/watching them?