Sexual education

I am curious...
it has been mentioned that no age of consent existed until 1999 in Japan...
& I decided to do a bit of research...
I'm quite confused though...
in 1999 was the age of consent raised from 13 to 18?...
there are mentions of "it is now illegal to *pay* for sex with someone who is under age"...
uh-huh... *I should hope so!!!*

what about those who have sex willingly though?
Is it not against the law in Japan to have sex with girls under say... 16?...
regardless of whether or not there was money involved?
I am quite curious about this... I have read that 80-90% of child pornography originates in Japan!!! - ;_;!!!
surely that must be an exaggeration... but... well.. I'd really appreciate if someone could post some genuine facts & laws concerning sexual issues in Japan.
Are the laws as vague as they seem to be to me...
there seems to be a huge difference in the legal age from place to place...
& very importantly... how likely is someone to serve a jail sentence for having sex with an underage girl?
It saddens me deeply to think that perhaps it is *ok* that underage girls would have sex with older men... ;_;
any information would be appreciated!
Also... I'm curious...
the foreign women who have Japanese husbands & children...
how worried are you about these kind of things?...
Are you afraid that your children may some day be taken advantage of?...
or is the reality actually that these kind of things happen only very infrequently & that things like the whole "schoolgirls having sex for designer goods" is blown out of proportion?...
I am curious... if I ever moved to Japan & had kids...
I would hate to think of them growing up thinking that it was "acceptable" to have sex for material gain - ;_;
I imagine.... or at least *I hope*... that things are better there than I have gathered!...
ah, they must be.... I'm sure the majority of Japanese girls & guys find these kind of things completely unacceptable....right?

well you should take it more a person per person rather than saying its accepted on the whole. i think the school prostitution thing is something like 10% of all school girls in japan, and its actually dropped since 10 years ago. i may be wrong, so anyone feel free to correct me. either way how your kids are brought up is up to you, not society. you can teach them what you feel is morally right and wrong.

I'm *not* saying it's accepted on the whole...
I'm saying *I hope* & would like to think that it is *un*-acceptable by the vast majority of Japanese... obviously.
the idea of it being accepted by the majority would make me very sad indeed.
Saying how you bring up your kids is how they will turn out & that society doesn't influence them is *so* wrong!!!...
you are right that it is up to the parents to instill some kind of good moral values though! ...
perhaps the parents of those girls who prostitute themselves failed to place any moral guidelines in their children's minds?
Though what I'm really wondering I guess... & what I'm asking... is whether or not good moral values are commonly taught in Japan?
Is there a gap there?... perhaps not enough love is given to the children?
I imagine they must be cared for as much as any other nation...

though I have read these disturbing things & would love to hear what a Japanese person has to say about all this.
You are right that a loving home environment would be great for your child by the way.... & lay the foundation for that child to know the difference between right & wrong... but really, that child will be heavily influenced by those around them... their friends.... for guidelines on how they should act.
So....just how important is it to a girl to own designer items?
& how do Japanese girls view sex in general?...
I remember that in sex education when I was in Primary school
(very young) we were taught things like... "& when a man & a woman love each other very much.... & they are married... they show their affection for each other by having sex & from that union chilren can be born" that kind of thing.... (might sound lame but the *idea* is very important.... sex=love ....apparently, there is nothing like that in Japan...
it is *ridiculous* to have only an hour of sex education!...
& *stupid* to have it begin as late as 16!...
*obviously* there will be children curious about such things from an earlier age...
& it is better to inform them much younger about these kind of things (Imo)...
(at least the basic principle of sex only happening between people who love one another... & that children come of it)
(especially in an envirnoment such as Japan... where there are *so* many open shops that sell pornography...
I was very surprised by that when I went there...
children could very easily see these things just by walking by the shops!
Anyway... that's all I can think of at the moment....
my deepest apologies to any Japanese who I have offended by making "blanket judgements"... I don't mean to do that...
& hate people making such judgements!
it's really just that I know a few Japanese...
& have been to Japan... & have only recently read all of these very negative things about Japanese...
I have lived with a Japanese guy for a while & also with my Japanese girlfriend for a while & worked alongside Japanese in work... & I have thought of them as being really good people...
(sure there are little things that I find strange... but that's only natural!)
& I love my girlfriend very much....
I in no way think of the Japanese in a negative light!
My current concerns are pretty much the product of browsing this forum & doing a bit of research!...
but I hope someone can answer some of my questions...
& help me understand how this problem can exist in Japan with the young girls prostituting themselves.

it has been mentioned that no age of consent existed until 1999 in Japan...
& I decided to do a bit of research...
I'm quite confused though...
in 1999 was the age of consent raised from 13 to 18?...
there are mentions of "it is now illegal to *pay* for sex with someone who is under age"...
uh-huh... *I should hope so!!!*

what about those who have sex willingly though?
Is it not against the law in Japan to have sex with girls under say... 16?...
regardless of whether or not there was money involved?

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According to my 10 minutes of web research -- the age of consent for sexual activity is 13 (but there may be additional laws at the local level about this). The age of consent for marriage is 18 for men & 16 for women. Child prostitution -- paying for sex with a person under 18 -- is illegal. (Actually I think prostitution at any age is illegal except that certain paid sexual services for adults is not considered prostution whereas the same action done by somebody under 18 would be illegal.) So, to answer your question, it looks like consensual sex starts at 13. (Though you never know, they could probably apply a vaguely worded obscenity law
to prosecute certain cases).

I have read that 80-90% of child pornography originates in Japan!!! - ;_;!!!
surely that must be an exaggeration...

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That seems unlikely to me as well.

how likely is someone to serve a jail sentence for having sex with an underage girl?

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I've never heard of anybody getting punished for having consensual sex in Japan. In the U.S. it's a problem the other way around. If an 18-year-old has consensual sex with a 17-year-old, the 18-year-old can be prosecuted for "statutory rape."

It saddens me deeply to think that perhaps it is *ok* that underage girls would have sex with older men... ;_;

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Depends what you mean by "underage." In any case, it's illegal to pay for sex with a person under 18. So it's not okay.

I am curious... if I ever moved to Japan & had kids...
I would hate to think of them growing up thinking that it was "acceptable" to have sex for material gain - ;_;

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Well, if they were your kids then you would raise them not to think this way. There are "moral dangers" in every country. Illegal "recreational" drugs are not unusual in my country but I was raised to believe they were bad, hence I never tried them.

Though what I'm really wondering I guess... & what I'm asking... is whether or not good moral values are commonly taught in Japan?
Is there a gap there?... perhaps not enough love is given to the children?
I imagine they must be cared for as much as any other nation...

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Yes, of course, morals are taught in Japan. But the question becomes what do you mean by "moral values" and who gets to decide? Just because you may think it's wrong to have sex at a certain age or before marriage doesn't mean that it is wrong or that other people should feel the same way.

& how do Japanese girls view sex in general?...

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In general women seem to feel that it is -- or should be -- a pleasurable activity. That's about it. I don't know how school-age girls feel about it.

I remember that in sex education when I was in Primary school
(very young) we were taught things like... "& when a man & a woman love each other very much.... & they are married... they show their affection for each other by having sex & from that union chilren can be born" that kind of thing.... (might sound lame but the *idea* is very important.... sex=love ....apparently, there is nothing like that in Japan...
it is *ridiculous* to have only an hour of sex education!...
& *stupid* to have it begin as late as 16!...

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In Japan, I think the equation is more like sex=pleasure.

In the U.S. we had an hour or so of "sexual education" in grade (primary) school, probably around 5th grade. It went over the mechanics of the body & puberty. Probably love & monogamy & waiting for marriage were advocated -- I don't remember. It was a secular school, so there was no explicit religious component. My Japanese spouse said her experience was similar -- e.g. some basic instruction in grade school.

I have lived with a Japanese guy for a while & also with my Japanese girlfriend for a while & worked alongside Japanese in work...
& I love my girlfriend very much....

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So what does your girlfriend say about all this?

I've never heard of anybody getting punished for having consensual sex in Japan. In the U.S. it's a problem the other way around. If an 18-year-old has consensual sex with a 17-year-old, the 18-year-old can be prosecuted for "statutory rape."

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well in texas at least, not sure about the rest of the country, but the actual age of consent is 15 meaning that 15 year olds can have sex with 15 year olds etc, but 14 year olds cant have sex with anyone. also the statutory rape charge has a 3 year grace period attached to it. meaing 18&16 is ok as well as 20&17. they will go exactly birthday to birthday.

Thank you very much for your reply mdchachi!
That was my thought when I had finished reading certain articles....
that the age of sexual consent in 13...
but that local "corrupting a minor" laws exist...
I guess it's just a big cultural difference...
but I must say that I find it *quite* disturbing thinking that a 30 year old man could have consensual sex with a 13 year old girl & no harsh legal action would be taken against him...
because in my mind the young girl is being taken advantage of... simply because she is too young to really know what she is doing. (she may not be aware even that she may get pregnant or get a disease)
Hmmm.... you are right, obviously that morals are different everywhere... I guess what I really meant there wasn't so much morals in general... but more...that there should be some teaching that sex=love rather than sex=pleasure...
the sex = pleasure equation puts sex at a very low level...
& if that is true, then it is easy to imagine Japanese schoolgirls having sex for money.
Oh, & I was educated in a multinational school with no one religion... though I am "Catholic" ....like alot of Irish.. I don't go to church or practice in any way... & don't see myself as really having any religion & I generally think that religion is a bad idea... & I also think that sex outside marriage is great...
*but* I do think that sex should only take place between *people who love each other.*
You ask what my girlfriend thinks about all of this...
sadly, she's back in Japan at the moment...
& I won't be seeing her until Christmas! ;_;!
I don't think this kind of thing is something that I would want to bring up when I chat to her on phone next time... we both have enough things on our mind....though we *have* talked about such things before...
I remember that she wasn't aware of any "age of consent" existing in Japan...
& found it amusing that in Ireland...a guy who was 18 was breaking the law if they had sex with someone who was16...
(17 is the age on consent in Ireland)...
I too find this to be quite amusing by the way...
I think there is much room for improvement with most "age of consent" laws!

Anyway... she sees sex as pleasurable... (as I would hope everyone does!)

but she also only has sex with someone she cares for.
She feels very sad for those schoolgirls who prostitute themslelves... though understands the reasons they do so...
there is *alot* of pressure on girls to be "fashionable"

That's about it really!

oy. So much new negative information on Japan.

It's starting to make me wonder if I really want to go there or not! I see lots of ppl here are giving statistics, well how accurate are these? I heard that there is hardly any crime in Tokyo and that only stabbings and small stuffs make the news. There are 2 completely diffrent sides to this matter... I'm very confused now.

Originally posted by Carolgirl00
oy. So much new negative information on Japan.

It's starting to make me wonder if I really want to go there or not! I see lots of ppl here are giving statistics, well how accurate are these? I heard that there is hardly any crime in Tokyo and that only stabbings and small stuffs make the news. There are 2 completely diffrent sides to this matter... I'm very confused now.

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You shouldn't let others detour you away from your dreams/goals and I bet you 20.00 dollars that if you went to Japan you'd realize there is nothing to worry about and you'd have the time of your life.

Japan is like a dream come true. I swear.


Josh

Carolgirl, there is good and bad wherever you go. Foreigners tend to take notice of the negative stuff because it stands out. Sex education really needs improvement in Japan ,but, I'm sure you can think of problems in your own country that needs attention, right?

If you are interested in Japan and want to travel there, don't let a few negative things put you off - or you will never travel anywhere!!!

I am enjoying my time in Japan and am focusing on all the great experiences I have everyday! I'm sure you'll have a great time too

*Absolutely!*...
Carolgirl!.... Japan is a truly wonderful place!
I really mean that, as I have mentioned in another thread...
I have only spent one month there...
but *it was the best month of my life!*
the people were very helpful & friendly... there are *so* many exciting things there that you will see...
*spectacular* festivals & fireworks...
& great temples & beautiful countryside!
if I could, I would pack my bags right now & be over there in a second!
Don't let these negative things put you off... Japan is *great!*...
sure, there are some social & legal issues that perhaps need more looking at... as nzueda says there are problems with *every* country... here in Ireland for example... we have a pretty huge homeless problem... we have priests who have abused children being protected by the Church (though this is changing)... we have a big alcoholism problem...& it's not safe at all here to roam the city streets late at night... you won't find any of this in Japan! ...
nowhere have I felt safer than in Japan actually!...
those negative things that are being discussed... they *will not* affect you having a great time there!
Go... & as ghettocities says... you will have the time of your life!

"The Material Child by Merry White puts Japanese teenagers in comparison with American teenagers and let me tell you right now, if you have ANY questions concerning sex in Japan or anything else that concerns youth in Japan then check that book out, I found/still find it hard to believe it's main purpose is for Sociological studies rather than my own entertainment.
It looks like this book is out of print but you can still find it online (lucky for me I already own a copy"

is this the same book?
Amazon.com: The Material Child: Coming of Age in Japan and America (9780520089402): White, Merry: Books
http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/2849.html

well, thank you every1 for the great encouragement!! And, yes, you are all right. No country is perfect and everyone has their own quirks. Me and my mother are now planning a trip in about a year. I'm looking forward to it very much. ^-^

In England you don't get taught sex education at 17!! You leave school at either 15 or 16 over here!! At primary school (when I was about 9) I got taught about the 'private parts' + about sanitary protection. At secondary school (when I was 11) I was told how sex is done. When I was about 13 I was told about all the different types of contraceptives. But none of that mattered because my older sister had told me everything when I was about 8 years old!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hehe...I also knew about all of that by the time I was about 7. My mom taught sex education and I was around so many books and filmstrips(woah, that is old school) that it couldn't be avoided. I remember coming home from the second grade and asking her where babies really came from, because someone had told me they came from someplace else(as in body part) and I was not buying that explanation...