Japan’s nationwide legislature passed groundbreaking revisions to its intercourse crimes legal guidelines Friday. The Home of Councillors, the higher home of Japan’s Nationwide Weight-reduction plan, voted in favor of modifications to Chapter 22 of Japan’s Penal Code. Chapter 22 issues crimes of obscenity, forcible sexual activity, and bigamy. The modifications embody growing the age of consent from 13 to sixteen and updating the definition of rape from “forcible sexual activity” to “non-consensual sexual activity.” Japan’s definition of rape was beforehand narrowly restricted to coercion via “assault or intimidation.” With the modifications, the definition will now be expanded to coercion via “use of financial or social standing” as effectively.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) say that these modifications will assist to guard the rights of youngsters and make Japan’s intercourse crimes regulation extra survivor-oriented general. In accordance with HRW, the modifications are a small begin towards enhancing the intercourse business in Japan.
Though prostitution is prohibited within the nation below the 1956 Prostitution Prevention Legislation, intercourse and sexualization of younger ladies has maintained its presence in some areas of Japanese tradition. There’s a big selection of companies accessible, like therapeutic massage parlors or escort golf equipment—usually broadly and euphemistically known as the “leisure” business. Advocates have additionally criticized the way in which that Japanese regulation enforcement has allowed a big selection of “leisure” companies to slide via loopholes in laws, permitting violence towards ladies and human trafficking to perpetuate.
