Here’s the first of my regularly scheduled updates.
So, when “immigrating” into Japan (which, as mentioned, is effectively illegal), I was made to fill out a form declaring my intentions in Japan and the length of my stay. It was filled with the usual lists of contraban: automatic weapons, livestock, etc…
Then, something caught my eye:
“Immoral Materials?” What does that mean? What qualifies “immoral material”? Apparently, the issue is quite complex. (Warning: the article is on pornography, and is not safe for work. Second warning: the article is from Wikipedia, and is not safe for those who do not question what they read.)
“Pornography” (if it can be called that) exists in the form of interactive computer games or cartoons, such as this example from Akihabara:
And this is an arcade-style game in which the player controls a claw, trying to grab corsets:
One tidbit on the topic: “Japan was slow in updating its child pornography laws to bring them into line with those of the West. It was only in 2003 that Japan caught up, with the passage of new laws that made it illegal to produce, distribute, sell, possess or trade in child pornography.”
Yes, child pornography was legal until 2003. In fact, the age of concent in Japan is 13 years old, and some Japanese girls engage in 援助交際 (Enjo-kōsai, or “compensated dating”), in which they date older men in exchange for money. This is viewed as a large societal problem in Japan.
Well, sorry for the delve into seriousness there. Anyway, I arrived without incedent, and promptly fell asleep.
Tomorrow (or tonight, if I’m especially productive), I’ll be adventuring through the wonderful world of Japanese technology. Stay tuned, blogosphere.
