Japan’s parliament approved this Friday to raise the age of sexual consent from 13, one of the lowest in the world, to 16, as part of a reform of laws against sexual assault.
The reform, which also clarifies the conditions for prosecution for rape and criminalizes voyeurism, was unanimously approved by the Senate.
The minimum age below which any sexual activity is considered rape is 16 in the UK and South Korea, 15 in France, and 14 in Germany and China.
The age of sexual consent in Japan has never changed since the law was passed in 1907.
Under the new law, sexual relations between two teens over the age of 13 will not be penalized if the two partners are no more than five years apart.
Japan amended its sexual assault laws in 2017, the first time in more than a century, although critics said the reform was not ambitious enough.
In 2019, a series of rape acquittals sparked nationwide protests.
The reform approved Friday also includes a new offense that punishes those who force, through intimidation, enticement or money, forced encounters with minors under the age of 16 for sexual purposes. These acts are punishable by imprisonment for up to one year or a fine of 500,000 yen (3,250 euros).
One of the most criticized points of Japan’s rape law is the fact that the prosecutor must prove that the accused used “force and intimidation”.
Critics argue that victims are often blamed for not putting up enough resistance and point out that people who are attacked may not be able to defend themselves.
Source: DN
