Posted in: Comics | Tagged: , , , ,


Manga And Anime Exempted From New Japanese Anti-Child Pornography Laws

cnn

Japan has banned the ownership of child pornographic images, in a bill passed yesterday, and is one of the last developed nations to do so. The production and distribution was already illegal since 1999, but ownership was not until now. Japan has remained a centre for the exchange of such images. Those who do own such images will be granted a year to dispose of or delete them.

However, Japan has made an exception for comic book and animated imagery, after strong lobbying from both industries and from outspoken artists. It is often explained that Japanese manga often infantilises adult characters for storytelling effect, even if momentarily, and could be caught if laws were extended to manga. But critics dismiss this, pointing at the repeated availability of extreme imagery in comic book form, at a time when Japan is in the grip of increasing legal action against child abuse.

The Japan Magazine Publishers' Association had already stated that the law would be an added strain on publishing. But CNN took a camera on the streets of Akihabara in Tokyo to see the manga being sold that will escape these new laws, and interviewed those who had concerns regarding the prominence of such comics and increasing abuse.

However, the CBDLF was on hand to counter argue.

Ignoring the fact that manga and anime cover every genre and interest under the sun, Ripley focuses only on a relatively minor subset and suggests that it will remain legal not because it's free expression but because "anime animation and manga comics are a multi-billion dollar industry with political and lobbying power."

Ripley soon proceeds to leading questions, asking politician Masatada Tsuchiya: "Are you concerned that this animated child porn could lead to criminal behavior?" (Shades of Fredric Wertham!) Tsuchiya responds in the affirmative, pointing to the recent arrest of a man accused of murdering a seven-year-old girl. Ripley's voiceover notes here that "police seized large amounts of child porn from [the alleged murderer's] home, but won't say if it was real or animated."

Later in the report Ripley talks to Shihoko Fujiwara, a representative of the anti-child-trafficking group Lighthouse. She brings up another crime that can supposedly be blamed on manga: "a case where a predator used a cartoon to convince a child sex abuse is normal." In the examples cited by both Tsuchiya and Fujiwara, of course, horrific crimes were committed and should absolutely be prosecuted — but no one could seriously suggest that either of the them would have been prevented if only the perpetrators hadn't owned manga.

Ripley does briefly talk to Japan Cartoonists Association lobbyist Ken Akamatsu, himself the creator of the popular manga series Love Hina and Negima! Magister Negi Magi, who points out in vain that "manga doesn't involve actual children so there are no actual victims" and that "there's no scientific evidence" that manga and anime actually cause people to commit crimes. Ripley nevertheless ends the report with the ominous pronouncement that "some fear [these] cartoons may be fueling the darkest desires of criminals."


Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!

Rich JohnstonAbout Rich Johnston

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from Blacks on Dean Street, shops at Piranha Comics. Father of two. Political cartoonist.
twitterfacebookinstagramwebsite
Comments will load 20 seconds after page. Click here to load them now.