Japan Press Weekly

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2010 December 15 - 21 TOP3 [TOKYO]

Tokyo enacts tighter regulations on manga

The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly on December 15 passed an ordinance to toughen regulations on sexual depictions in manga comics and anime films despite mounting opposition from publishers and writers.

The ordinance, which is an amendment to the existing law, was enacted by the majority of votes of Democratic, Liberal Democratic, and Komei parties. The Japanese Communist Party voted against the enactment.

Prior to the vote, JCP metropolitan assembly member Furudate Kazunori stated that the amendment does not clearly define what kind of sexual depiction will be subject to punishment, therefore making it possible for the metropolitan government to enforce arbitrary censorship. The move will threaten artistic creativity as well as freedom of expression, he warned.

Authorities should always be careful about censorship, Furudate urged, adding that regulations imposed in the prewar era on the publication of and access to books containing sexual depictions had led to a tighter control over various thoughts and a suppression of the right to freedom of speech.

The JCP representative said that although rules need to be set on, self-imposed regulations should come first and government intervention be minimized. He said that what the government should do instead is to educate youth to develop their abilities to make decisions for themselves and to appropriately use available information.

The Japan P.E.N. Club, the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, many manga artists, writers, and publishers have voiced their objection to the amendment since it was proposed by the Tokyo government on November 22.

The metropolitan assembly by December 14 received nearly 1,000 petitions regarding the amendment, most of which expressed opposition to or called for more careful deliberations on the government proposal.

Ten major Japanese publishers on December 10 announced that they will refuse to take part in the 2011 Tokyo International Anime Fair which will be hosted by the metropolitan government in March next year.
- Akahata, December 16, 2010