Japan weighs new penalties for sex buyers, but cautious on prostitution ban

In a draft report released by an expert panel of Japan's Ministry of Justice on August 24, there is strong support for regulating solicitation by buyers of sex, while being cautious about regulating adult-to-adult prostitution itself. The focus is on street prostitution, with the ministry planning to launch discussions on revising the Anti-Prostitution Act.

However, there are uncertainties over which acts would be defined as punishable. Online information about street prostitution, or "tachinbo," has spread in English, leading to cautionary announcements in both Japanese and English. The Anti-Prostitution Act, enacted in 1956, banned both the buying and selling of sex, but currently only punishes women for soliciting prostitution.

An organization supporting women on the streets of Kabukicho expressed concern about an increase in both Japanese men and foreign tourists negotiating with women using translation apps. Some panel members cautioned that cracking down on buying sex would drive customers away, forcing women to accept risky demands for income. Others expressed concerns that regulation could drive the buying and selling of sex underground.