We are living in a time full of discussions involving nudity, sexuality, gender, and mainly how our children fit into all of this. How does Japan view these issues? Some people end up finding Japan a sexually bizarre country due to certain cultural events and also the animation and sex industry.
I have already encountered Brazilians in their controversial discussions using arguments from Japan to defend ideas such as exposing children to sexual topics. In this article, I will try to delicately address a bit of this subject.
While the Christian religion dominates Brazil suggesting an idea of morality and ethics, Japan is quite open to sex since less than 5% of Japanese people are Christians. Still, Japan does not allow same-sex marriage and also does not engage in absolutely any issues involving sex or gender.
The Japanese are reserved, so they do not engage in controversial issues; they believe that everyone does what they want with their lives. Of course, there will always be movements and discussions on the subject, but on a small scale compared to other countries.
The minimum age for sexual consent in Japan is 13 years, according to the Japanese penal code. This can change depending on the province. However, another law prohibits minors under 18 from having sexual relations with adults.
Even dating can be complicated during school years because the law requires parental approval. Some private schools in Japan try to prevent students from engaging in romantic relationships for fear of police intervention.
Exposure to sex in Japan
Something that sparked numerous discussions on the internet was the artistic performance of a naked man. Children were exposed to this event, which generated countless controversies and discussions online. I personally think it is an extreme exaggeration to relate pedophilia to this performance.
On the other hand, I cannot see absolutely any sense in this presentation, much less art! There are laws that prohibit a person from walking naked; the guy probably had to chase after permissions for such a performance. Besides this event, some information networks are addressing the topic of gender and sexuality with children.
Because of these events, thousands of discussions take place. How can Japan serve as an example for us? Culturally, it is common for children and adults to bathe naked in an onsen (hot spring); it is something quite cultural and innocent. Of course, the baths are separated by sex, but there are still some mixed baths scattered throughout Japan, which probably do not allow children.
Another very popular event is the Kanamara Matsuri, a fertility festival where various giant penises, objects, and even foods in the shape of the male penis can be found. Nevertheless, Japanese children did not end up becoming perverted; in reality, some only discover or have an interest in sex in adulthood.
It is believed that it was due to the influence of Westerners who were shocked to see men and women bathing naked together without any desire or sexual act that led the Japanese to separate baths by sex.
Talking about sex is a taboo in Japan among some, precisely because of shyness or because it is a very personal subject. So much so that culturally it is not common to use expressions with sexual connotation as we do in Brazilian slang.
The influence of sexual media
The exposure of sexuality in the media is quite visible. Some do not mind buying or reading erotic material in public. This is due to the fact that there is no concept of sin involving sex in Japanese religion.
A highly controversial subject is the sexual exposure of minors in media involving Japanese animation. Many believe that this can encourage pedophilia, but with the help of the law, the number of abuses is low. The culture makes it so that perverted Japanese only have the courage to at most steal a pair of panties or chase after perverted products.
It is not just adult content for children; anime for the teenage audience also has a lot of sensuality. Even lolis appear in a very sensual way in various animations; it is almost a tradition to have bouncing breasts and poses with panties showing. In Japan, sensual animation is seen more as an art, so much so that almost half of women consume this type of media.
The Japanese government has tried to prohibit adult content involving minors in Japanese manga and animations, but there is a significant gap. First, because animators can very well give an older age while maintaining the appearance of a child.
Others argue that it is thanks to this type of material that the rate of abuse of minors remains low in Japan. The great innocence and carefree nature of the Japanese make various issues considered controversial in the West irrelevant in Japan.
Pornographic media in Japan is quite different from Western media, to the point that there is even censorship on intimate parts. To conclude, let’s leave some articles below that can help you understand more about sex in Japan.
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