Japanese laws around Prostitution
One day I tweeted about Proposition K and at first i thought it was little scary, but many people told me that it’s a good thing to protect women in the business and reduce crimes on top of the prostitution and now I agree to that. Yesterday I found a very interesting 2ch thread titled “Why isn’t porn video considered as a prostitution?” and it has a very interesting summary for the definition of prostitution and sex with minors in Japan. Here’s what you do and whether it’s criminal.
- Having sex with 13 or younger: CRIMINAL (even upon agreement)- Having sex with 13-17: CRIMINAL (unless you’re married to each other, or in Nagano prefecture, or you’re also younger than 18)- Having sex with 18 or older: OK (obviously)- Paying for prostitute 18 or older: OK- Paying for prostitute younger than 18: CRIMINAL (child porn law. 18 year old high school girl = OK)- Prostituting by being asked if you’re 18 or older: OK- Prostituting by being asked if you’re younger than 18: OK (you’re considered as a victim of child porn - Asking someone 18 or older for prostitution: OK- Asking someone younger than 18 for prostitution: OK (CRIMINAL in some prefectures)- Pimping yourself: CRIMINAL independent of your age- Pimping someone: CRIMINAL independent of prostitute’s age- Soliciting someone 18 or older for free sex: OK- Soliciting someone younger than 18 for free sex: CRIMINAL (child porn law)Pretty interesting huh? I find it a little unfair that paying for prostitution is not criminal while trying to prostitute yourself is. So I guess all prostitution should happen in the form of the buyer first asking the prostitute and shouldn’t be the other way round. Also there’s a chance that you having a sex with younger than 18 and could claim “Oh I just thought she’s 18”. Hmm.