Child Pornography in Japan

A funny thing, blogging.  I know of a handful of people who read these posts, but the rest of you are completely unknown.  I know how many in which country read any one post on any one day.  I don't know you individually, and we'll likely never meet.  All of this fascinates me. 

As do the keywords you type in to search for the blogs you're wanting to read.  The most heavily read blog post of mine is the one I wrote about pornography on the train.  This entry has shown up when you've googled "porn in Japan" and "porn on trains" and "Japan and porn" and other such combinations.  I take it a good number of you all around the world are interested in, fascinated by, and/or mortified by what Japan allows as art.  You want to know about pornography in Japan?  Let me tell you then.  Today I will focus on child pornography, because herein lies Japan's most foul rationale about art versus porn.  Today, here again, I simply can't make this shit up.

The laws are clear:  In Japan, you can own child pornography.  You can't make it, ship it, or sell it, but you can own it.  Read that again.  You can't make, sell, or distribute child pornography porn but you can own it.  This begs the obvious question where does one buy it?  It's not supposed to be sold.  It can't be made so it can't be shipped so it can't be sold.  Except that in one survey, 20% of Japanese state, at one point or another they've owned child pornography.  Where do they buy it if it's not available?  Really. 

Part of the problem lies in Japan's definition of child pornography.  Simply put, children participating in a sexual act is considered child pornography.  Which means half-naked or naked images are not.  Which also means anything that's a cartoon, manga, is not.  I find this highly disturbing.  It also, unfortunately, answers the question on where one would buy this.  Any convenience store will have an "adult" section marked but visible and available to anyone who wants to stand there and read through the selection.  It's not illegal to sell these magazines because they don't portray images defined as child pornography.  Lolita on the cover?  Not porn.  It's not real.  Presumably this is where a lot of people buy this "art."  (I don't have enough sarcasm in me to express my disgust further.)

The "artists" who draw these images take this whole child pornography question to another level.  They are adamant if it's in cartoon form, even rape, sodomy, forced oral sex, gang rape, torture, beatings of children--it's all "art."  By their definition, this means it's not real so it's not pornography.  If you've seen any such cartoon imagery, mark my words it will make you sick to your stomach--that kicked in the gut, bile in the back of your throat, "I'm about to puke" feeling--it lingers.

Say what you will about "two consenting adults" who allow themselves to be filmed.  Naked women in magazines (gay sex is still very much a taboo here) do it because they want the money and, hey, they're smiling!  Surely, all must be good.  I don't and won't know the truth behind the Japanese sex industry.  I don't want to.  Bring kids into this and I'm out for blood.

Just so you know, last time I checked, you can bring Japanese child pornography into your country if you're Russian, but in most other countries possession of child pornography (even the "art" kind) is illegal.  Careful what you buy at the airport and in town.  This shit will get you arrested.

Then again, it should.