Submission of the Petition
On January 19, 2022, several adult-video (AV) victim support groups, including the NPO "PAPS," submitted petitions to both houses of the Diet calling for a new law to prevent and remedy harm related to AV appearances. The petitions were accompanied by more than 30,000 signatures gathered from across the country.
What the New Law Would Require
The main points of the new law sought by the support groups are as follows. - Written appearance contracts and the setting of a cooling-off period (at least one month) - A requirement to confirm consent at each stage of filming, release, and distribution - A guarantee that performers can demand the halt of sales and deletion within a certain period even after release - The establishment of administrative sanctions and criminal penalties for violating operators
Industry Reaction
Some AV production companies and industry organizations took a cautious stance toward new legislation, arguing that "the issue can be resolved through measures by the self-regulatory body AIPP." Support groups countered that "self-regulation has low effectiveness, and the current situation in which victims go unremedied continues."
Debate in the Diet
Lawmakers from multiple parties, including the LDP and the Constitutional Democratic Party, have shown a positive stance toward new legislation, bringing the submission of a bill during the 2022 ordinary Diet session into view. However, the specific content of the bill requires coordination among the parties, and twists and turns were expected before its enactment.
This article is compiled based on publicly available information.