Japan raises minimum age for consensual sex.

Japan has passed a revised law raising the minimum age for consensual sexual relations from 13 to 16, aiming to strengthen the protection of women and children.

On June 16, the Japanese Senate unanimously approved amendments to the country's sex crime law, which stipulate a minimum age of sexual consent of 16. The move was welcomed by activists in the country, who described it as "a major step forward" in efforts to protect women and girls.

The minimum age for consensual sex is the age at which sexual intercourse is permitted without being considered rape. Japan previously stipulated the age for consensual sex at 13, a rule maintained since 1907.

This is the lowest age threshold among G7 countries. In the UK, Canada, and most US states, it's 16 years old; in France, it's 15; and in Germany and Italy, it's 14.

Amendments to the law also clarify the elements constituting rape in Japan. One of these is taking advantage of the influence of alcohol or drugs, threatening or using social status to coerce the victim.

Japanese lawmakers stand up to approve amendments to the sex crime law in the Upper House, Tokyo, on June 16. Photo: AP — Japanese lawmakers in a session to pass amendments to the law on sexual offenses in Tokyo, June 16. Photo: AP

Japan's Ministry of Justice announced that the revised law stipulates that individuals who threaten, entice, or use money to coerce children under 16 into meeting for sexual purposes will face a maximum prison sentence of one year or a fine of 500,000 yen (US$3,500).

The law also criminalizes voyeurism, which had previously only been mentioned in local regulations. Secretly filming sensitive body parts or engaging in indecent acts without justifiable reason can be punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine of up to three million yen.

Sohei Ikeda, 39, from Tokyo, welcomed the reform but felt "Japan acted rather late." Meanwhile, Natsuki Sunaga, a 22-year-old female student, was skeptical about the effectiveness of the revised law in ending the act of secretly filming others.

A 2022 survey of over 38,000 Japanese people revealed that nearly 9% reported having been secretly filmed, according to NHK . Victims said they were filmed from under their skirts, in changing rooms, and bathrooms. They also described the long-term impact of these actions on their mental health, such as no longer feeling safe in public.

Japanese Justice Minister Ken Saito bows his head after the Senate passed amendments to the sex crime law on June 16. Photo: AFP — Japanese Justice Minister Ken Saito bows his head after the Senate passed amendments to the sex crime law on June 16. Photo: *AFP*

The last time Japan amended its sex crime law was in 2017, the first time in over a century. However, campaigners argued that those amendments were insufficient. The law came into the spotlight in 2019, when a series of defendants accused of sexual assault were pardoned.

The most shocking case occurred in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, where a male defendant was not convicted of raping a victim who was between 14 and 19 years old. Prosecutors proved that the girl was unable to resist and was raped, but the court rejected their argument.

Hundreds of people marched in protest, creating the Flower Demo movement across Japan to express support for victims of sexual assault and demand legal reform. Prosecutors in the Nagoya case appealed, and the man was ultimately sentenced to 10 years in prison.