Formation of the Cross-Party League
The "Cross-Party Parliamentary League to Consider Sex-Trade Issues" (tentative name) held its first meeting inside the National Diet on December 8, 2021. A total of 38 lawmakers from parties including the Liberal Democratic Party, the Constitutional Democratic Party, Komeito, and the Japanese Communist Party took part, exchanging views on the problems with the current Anti-Prostitution Act (baishun boshi-ho, enacted in 1956) and the need for new legislation.
Problems With the Current Law
The current Anti-Prostitution Act includes provisions that make the women who engage in prostitution themselves subject to penalties. Support organizations have long criticized this, arguing that "regulating victims and perpetrators under the same law makes it harder for victims to report the harm they have suffered."
In addition, in an era when the forms of the sex trade have become digitized and diversified, there are growing situations that a law enacted in 1956 cannot adequately address.
Direction of the New Law
The league indicated its intention to pursue new legislation built around three pillars: (1) strengthening support for victims driven into prostitution, (2) imposing harsher penalties for procuring, organized/managed prostitution, and exploitation, and (3) reinforcing measures targeting the demand side (those who buy sex).
However, a fundamental difference in stance—"complete prohibition of the sex trade" versus "regulated legalization"—exists even within the league, and reaching consensus is expected to take considerable time.
This article is compiled based on publicly available information.