Why is it that sexual victimization of children continues to increase? What is behind it?
The G7 Ministerial Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment was held this month, with Japan serving as the chairing country to discuss gender issues.
In order to use this opportunity to deepen understanding of "children's sexuality and international human rights," I would like to publish an interview I gave to the weekly magazine "AERA.
〈The standards for sexual and violent expression in Japan are unclear. The creators must change to meet "global standards".〉
Q. Regarding Japanese manga and anime, which are often referred to as "Cool Japan," is there a significant difference between what is common knowledge in Japan and what is common knowledge overseas in terms of expression?
A. For example, in the popular Japanese manga "One Piece," blood is erased from scenes of bloodshed in the West, and the heroine's mini-skirt is now knee-length. In "Doraemon," Shizuka wears a bathing suit in the scene where she takes a bath.
Q. Are standards for sexual expression and violence in Japan looser than in other developed countries?
A. Japan's standards are vague. The Broadcasting Act and the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association (JBA) have established standards for broadcasting, but they are not very specific in terms of what is prohibited. For example, one of the standards for sexual expression set by JBA states, "Sexual matters should not cause embarrassment or disgust among viewers," but it is difficult to determine the extent to which sexual expression should not cause embarrassment or disgust.
In Japan, after all, it is a question of how sexual parts of the body are shown. Even if a person makes a somewhat sexual gesture, if the genitals are not emphasized, if the person is clothed to some extent, it may be judged not to be child pornography.
Q. So, what is the major difference between Japan and other countries that have strict media regulations regarding sexual and violent expressions?
A. It is whether they regulate virtual works or not. In the U.K. and France, ownership of virtual works that include sexually abusive or exploitative expressions of children is prohibited, but in Japan, it is acceptable as long as there are no real children in the cartoons or games, etc. Of course, the standards for sexual expression in Japan must be met, though. In fact, Japan has been repeatedly criticized by the United Nations that sexually explicit images of women and children in anime and games infringe on human rights. But there has been no improvement.
Q. What is the first step in building a society with a high awareness of human rights?
A. I think it is necessary to establish regulations on the expression of human rights violations in the media, but first of all, the creators of the media need to change. They should be sensitive to which expressions may infringe on human rights and be aware that they must not create content that will be violations of human rights.
(AERA, January 18, 2016, Asahi Shimbun Publications/partially modified)
