On Friday, Japan enacted a landmark sex-crime legislation, making a variety of sexual offences, including rape, picture voyeurism, and internet child grooming, more easily prosecuted. The Penal Code revisions modify the word for the crime of “forced sexual intercourse” to “non-consensual sexual intercourse,” broadening the spectrum of cases that can be prosecuted. It identifies eight instances in which intercourse can be declared non-consensual, including the use of force or coercion, the use of drink or drugs, and the use of economic or social position.
The authorities in Japan had hitherto paid little attention to consent issues. In 2019, a court shocked the public by acquitting a guy for repeatedly raping his teenage daughter on the grounds that she could have resisted him. A higher court overturned the verdict, and he was sentenced to ten years in prison for the offense. Furthermore, after a decades-long campaign by activists, Japan’s sexual consent age was raised from 13 to 16, the lowest among Group of Seven countries. Since 1907, the age of consent had been constant.
The legislation change also makes “photo voyeurism” and internet child grooming illegal
The legislation change also makes “photo voyeurism” – secretly taking sexual images of people — and internet child grooming illegal. According to the National Police Agency, more than 150 children were victims of serious crimes, including rape, launched using social media in 2022.
According to a 5,000-person government poll conducted in 2021, approximately 7% of women and 1% of males had undergone forced sexual intercourse. According to the poll, only 5.6% of victims reported their crimes to the police. According to Ministry of Justice, records, 1,330 people were charged with rape in the same year, but only 455 were convicted.
