CHILD PORNOGRAPHY BANNED IN JAPAN

PFMLIT CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, General, INTERNATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL, JAPAN, LEGISLATION

Japan's lower house of Parliament today banned the production and sale of child pornography and outlawed sex with a minor, answering mounting criticism over the country's lax sex-crime laws.  The new law bans the sale, distribution, production, possession and trading of child pornography and imposes punishments of up to three years in prison or fines of up to $24,400 for violators.  The legislation also makes it illegal to have sex with a minor 17 or younger.  Violators will face a prison term of up to three years and fines of up to $8,100.

(Tokyo, Japan)