ECPAT/STOP Japan was founded in 1992 and lobbies for new and amended legislation to combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children. ECPAT/STOP Japan also conducts advocacy activities for child safety on the Internet. Additionally, ECPAT/STOP works to ensure the implementation of the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism in Japan. ECPAT/STOP Japan translated the Code into Japanese, developed a Code Project training manual and video and conducts training seminars for signatory companies.
ECPAT/ Kansai Japan was established in 1992. The organisation works towards the elimination of commercial sexual exploitation of children in cooperation with the ECPAT network, other related organisations and concerned individuals within and outside of Japan. ECPAT/Kansai Japan has been a national counterpart for the implementation of an ESCAP project on the Elimination of Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Children and Youth in Asia and the Pacific. This project includes a public awareness raising campaign and capacity building for personnel providing care to children. ECPAT/ Kansai Japan is responsible for collecting information about child sexual abuse and good practices with regard to prevention and treatment and strengthening the network against child sexual abuse.
Contact: Ms. Junko Miyamoto
Phone: +81 3 33610934
Address: c/o KYOFUKAI 2-23-5 Hyakunin-cho, Tokyo 169 0073
Email: kyofukai@titan.ocn.ne.jp; ecpatstop@gmail.com
Website: http://www.ecpatstop.jp
Contact: Ms. Toshiko Maya Sonozaki
Phone: +81 6 47906189
Address: c/o Office Alternative,Tenmabashi Yachiyo Bldg, 10th floor, 1-6-4 Tanimachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, 540-0012
Email: ecpatjk@nifty.com
The continued practice of ‘enjo kosai’ (compensated dating) and the existence of websites for online dating, social networking, and “delivery health” (a euphemism for call-girl or escort services) facilitate the exploitation of children through prostitution and other commercial sex industries.
Virtual child pornography (mostly in the form of manga or anime) is widely available in Japanese stores, generally without age restriction. There are no nationwide legal restrictions on who can purchase it.
As of June 2016, Japan is the only country in the region that has ratified the Council of Europe’s Convention on Cybercrime.
Partial
Age of sexual consent is 16 years old. The national legislation does not provide for a close-in-age exemption
Analysis of country legislation on age of sexual consent, 2024
Partial
Active extraterritoriality is provided for SEC crimes including crimes committed by residents. Passive extraterritoriality is provided for some SEC related crimes including “forced indecency”, rape, kidnapping of minors, human trafficking and any attempts thereof. Double criminality is not required.
Extradition is only permitted on the basis of an extradition agreement. It is unclear whether double criminality is required for extradition cases.
ECO Japan, 2018
No
The national legislation does not provide a definition of CSAM which is in line with international standards. The definition provided does not include depictions of the sexual parts of a child’s body for primarily sexual purposes, non-visual material, nor material depicting a person appearing to be a minor and computer/digitally generated CSAM including realistic images of non-existing children.
ECO Japan, 2018
Not Yet Assessed
Partial
Japan has ratified the CRC, the OPSC, the Trafficking Protocol and the ILO Convention No. 182.
Japan has also ratified the Council of Europe’s Budapest Convention.
Japan has not ratified the OPIC, the UNWTO Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics nor the Council of Europe’s Lanzarote Convention.
ECO Japan, 2018
Not Yet Assessed
Not Yet Assessed
Not Yet Assessed
No
There are national statistics on sexual exploitation of children in prostitution, offences related to child sexual abuse material and trafficking of children for sexual purposes. No information was found on whether this data is clearly disaggregated, made available periodically and whether it contains data on offenders and on compensation sought by child victims.
ECO Japan, 2018