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Bill to Prevent Harm From AV Appearances Submitted to the Diet by Ruling and Opposition Parties; Aim Is Enactment Before the Summer Upper House Election

A cross-party parliamentary league of ruling and opposition lawmakers jointly submitted a bill to prevent and remedy harm from AV appearances to the Diet. Built around the introduction of a cooling-off system and the granting of a right to demand video deletion, the bill aims for enactment before the summer Upper House election. Industry organizations object to parts of the wording, but the legislative momentum appears unstoppable.

Bill to Prevent Harm From AV Appearances Submitted to the Diet by Ruling and Opposition Parties; Aim Is Enactment Before the Summer Upper House Election

Outline of the Bill

On April 20, 2022, the cross-party "Parliamentary League to Prevent and Remedy Harm From AV Appearances" jointly submitted the Bill to Prevent and Remedy Harm From AV Appearances to the House of Representatives. The main contents of the bill are as follows.

  • Obligation to provide a written contract: A written document must be provided at the time of the appearance contract, with an obligation to explain its contents
  • Cooling-off period: The contract may be canceled unconditionally for four months from signing
  • Right of withdrawal before and after filming: Performers may halt production even after filming as long as it has not been released
  • Right to demand deletion after release: For two years after release, performers may demand the halting of sales and distribution
  • Administrative sanctions for violations: Establishment of business suspension orders and penalty provisions for violating operators

Industry Organizations' Reaction

The industry association of AV production companies expressed opposition to parts of the bill, arguing that "the cooling-off period is too long" and that "the right to demand deletion infringes on the property rights in the produced works." However, the industry also acknowledged the necessity of "harsher penalties for coerced appearances," so it was not a situation of total confrontation.

Significance of the Legislation

Support groups stated: "This bill is groundbreaking content that reflects the 'voices' of victims. We strongly demand its early enactment." Legal experts also praised it, saying it "could become an internationally advanced legislative example in legally guaranteeing the quality and continuity of consent in the sexual-content industry."


This article is compiled based on publicly available information.