Japan's porn industry apologises over coercion claims

What no public press conference? These producers are all more than happy to put their "product" out there for the world to see but are too ashamed of the business they are in to show their own faces. Hypocrites.

Anyone could see this coming.

A discussing industry. Shame on them.....again!

Good on them for addressing this issue, rather than trying to push it under the rug.

Recently the scouts, pimps really, have been absent in Kyobashi where they usually hang out daily harassing woman as they pass by. Maybe this suit is the reason why. And we all know this is a Yak driven business, the Yaks pay off the police to allow the scouts to loiter in train stations and entrap women. It is a very sad statement on the low value men in Japan, those in power it seems, have of Japanese women.

Asking producers to comply. That's it. No inspection or oversight or reports required to ensure changes have been made. Lazy, shameful, non-action.

coercing a woman to perform in more than 100 pornographic films over several years.The talent agency pressed the victim to perform in adult videos by allegedly warning her that she had to pay penalties for breach of contract if she refused

I might believe it were a few videos over a short period,

"I don't want to do this"..."You're gonna have to pay if you don't" ...Ready Action! This went on for years? At some point she should have said "F this, I'm outa here"

in the first place, I dont understand why there is this porn industry. why allow it?

in the first place, I dont understand why there is this porn industry. why allow it?

Because sex is something pretty much every human being does on the planet, and a whole lot enjoy watching.

Perhaps if these women wore "high heels" they'd have more confidence and just say "NO." But hey, its that whole subservient thing ingrained into the culture.

in the first place, I dont understand why there is this porn industry. why allow it?

It wouldn't be so tarnished, but it is. They used to feature minors in J-porn recently remember. Its banned now.

Secondly, for a tiny country, Japan certainly has an giant porn industry. Rank #2 in the world, I think. Plus the enormous domestic demand.

That's the first time I've heard grot movies described as "Intellectual Property". I'm surprised the companies aren't suing each other for breaches of copyright since their films are all much the same.

“But the remaining 20 percent and some illegal porn producers need to comply with the rules, which would require the government to take action.”

If the illegal producers followed the rules, they wouldn't be illegal now would they?

Its not really a porn industry. The correct euphemism in English websites has been "ejaculation industry." Its not and never has been about "watching" porn but rather ejaculating while watching the bids. Call it what it is!

Vids

As long as there is no punishment nothing real will be done, and an apology has no meaning.

Very weird news. I wonder if this is a make-up by the activist group.

The Intellectual Property Promotion Association (IPPA), which represents Japan’s adult film industry

Here is the link to their Home page. http://www.ippa.jp/index2/

They say that the purpose of the organization is to enforce copy right law of visual contents. They are mainly suing Chinese for copy right violations. It seems they have tens of lawsuits going on. The chairman of the organization is an employee of Tutaya, video rental chain. The organization is a typical amakudari organization, where ex-policemen work at a ridiculously high wages that come from rental chins in the name of assisting law enforcement. If a rental chain does not pay their dues, the organization does not protect them, or even sues them. It is more of a side business of police than an organization that represents adult video industry. I do not think their apology is relevant. No Japanese media is yet to report this news probably because it is not news-worthy.

There are Japanese tabloid reports that the "victim" is Fujiwara Hitomi who stared in more than 400 porn videos and that other porn stars who worked with her say they cannot believe she was coerced. Google her name and you can see her work. I cannot believe she was coerced, either.

Because sex is something pretty much every human being does on the planet, and a whole lot enjoy watching.

With the exception of here in Japan. Declining birth rates, sexless marriages, no desire for the opposite sex. Probably watching it because there are less headaches involved than doing the real thing.

Activists point to abuses including coercive or fraudulent signing of contracts—SOMETIMES TARGETING MINORS

Yes. You can see the "talent scouts" out every day on the streets and in the train stations. Hassling the young girls and just looking for someone who has had a bad day at school.

Shame on Japan!!

Its not really a porn industry. The correct euphemism in English websites has been "ejaculation industry." Its not and never has been about "watching" porn but rather ejaculating while watching the bids.

Interesting - I've never seen any girl ejaculate after watching porn. Are you sure you have your details right?

With the exception of here in Japan. Declining birth rates, sexless marriages, no desire for the opposite sex. Probably watching it because there are less headaches involved than doing the real thing.

Oh there is still a lot of sex going on. I think it's just not with ones spouse. Hence the booming love hotel industry.

Very weird news. I wonder if this is a make-up by the activist group.

Considering the industry apologized, it sounds like they know of the wrong doings. Otherwise, they'd keep denying

promised change

The more things change, the more they remain the same...

Yes. You can see the "talent scouts" out every day on the streets and in the train stations. Hassling the young girls and just looking for someone who has had a bad day at school.

Yeah, the vulture-lolicons scouts are out n' full force everyday in places like Harajuku. I even saw them convince a minor into a side street alley to snap a few face / body shots with his smartphone. Then he gave her his card. I was like "no way!"

Hence the booming love hotel industry.

Booming? Love hotels have been around here for many a generation, and many of the places look like it too.,

Booming? Love hotels have been around here for many a generation

Exactly. And they're going away no time soon.

This was always going to happen. Abuse like this happens in any unregulated industry that sits in a grey zone. The government is entirely to blame for not protecting porn actors/actresses. It is probably wise to unionize the porn industry

in the first place, I don't understand why there is this porn industry. why allow it? that's fine if your celibate and have no sexual interests, but the majority I would safely say do have an interest or sexual urges.

Human Rights Now, a Tokyo-based campaign group, said the number of women seeking counselling over industry abuses jumped more than 80 percent last year from 2014.

Not surprising. I would say the vast majority of people, men and women, who work in the porn industry for some time end up mentally and emotionally messed up, abuses or not. The suicide rate in the porn industry is pretty high.

Good on them for addressing this issue, rather than trying to push it under the rug.

Cant tell if this is meant to be sarcastic. Isnt a hollow apology accompanied by absolutely zero promises to do anything concrete to deal with a problem the very definition of sweeping something under the rug?

Isnt a hollow apology accompanied by absolutely zero promises to do anything concrete to deal with a problem the very definition of sweeping something under the rug?

No, it's an admittance that there is a problem. Recognizing it is the first step. Time will tell how serious they are, but they have made that first step, which is the most difficult one psychologically. They deserve recognition for that, which is what I've given them. Next we'll see what they actually do about it.

No, it's an admittance that there is a problem. Recognizing it is the first step. Time will tell how serious they are, but they have made that first step, which is the most difficult one psychologically. They deserve recognition for that, which is what I've given them. Next we'll see what they actually do about it.

Seriously? You think they deserve praise for this? Im a bit more reserved for the following reasons: 1) I find it hard to believe that this group of industry insiders wasnt aware that this sort of stuff was going down all along. Issuing an apology only after the media have picked up the story and continuing to turn a blind eye to it has become impossible is literally the least they could do. Its not something they should be given credit for. 2) Psychological analysis is only useful with regard to individual humans, this is an industry organization which like all organizations has a different, collective, decision making process that make such analysis useless since it works in a different way. Also, again, recognizing that a problem exists only after continued denial has been made impossible entirely by actors outside the organization (and likely in defiance of the wishes of members of said organization) is by no means a reason to give said organization praise for doing so. 3) As I implied in my earlier message, an apology that lacks any promises to remedy a problem is meaningless. That is what this is.

Exactly. And they're going away no time soon

Yeah. The paper-thin walls and flimsy wooden boxes, people call their "house" here, are a joke. They can't have hard core, noisy, pounding sex. . . so its off to the love hotels.

Looks like they got a real mess on their hands. How they didn't see this coming is beyond me. Seems they don't have a firm grip on the situation.

You think they deserve praise for this?

Well, recognition.

Anyways, I respect your comments on this. But for myself, I still prefer to give the benefit of the doubt to any person or organization who openly recognizes an issue. The praise will be withheld until they actually do something about it.

If it was a true apology and they were honorable they would pull these films where people were coerced or forced into pornographic filming.

Wc626JUN. 24, 2016 - 09:21AM JST .... But hey, its that whole subservient thing ingrained into the culture.

This is the gist of it! Coercing people to do things against their will is the bread and butter of this society where everyone has to know where "their place" is in society and behave accordingly. A feudalistic society wrapped in high tech shite.

What I don't understand is where are the parents of these girls? Weren't they ever taught to be aware of those disgusting pigs scouting them? If your 20 something daughter comes home saying she just signed a contract with a modeling agency would you go over it and wouldn't you go down to check out the outfit?

Everyone knows a lot of those places are just fronts for the porn industry. The Japanese love not to know.

Yeah. The paper-thin walls and flimsy wooden boxes, people call their "house" here, are a joke. They can't have hard core, noisy, pounding sex. . . so its off to the love hotels.

The people who live in those "flimsy wooden boxes" in my neighborhood are mostly in the age bracket where sex is only a distant memory. Younger people live in rather more sturdy concrete buildings.

"suspicion of violating the country’s labour laws" ? How about kidnapping, extortion, first degree sexual battery, rape. Violating labor laws may fall under the civil code and not even be a criminal offense.

By "coercion " we do mean "RAPE"!

"Japan’s multi-billion-dollar pornographic industry"

What the heck is wrong with some people?

Who are they saying sorry to? Sorry this topic came up? Who's saying sorry anyone? Some porn industry heads?

gogogoJUN. 24, 2016 - 02:42PM JST

Who are they saying sorry to?

This case is like someone is arrested and his next door neighbor shows up and say "I am sorry he was arrested."

1 The Intellectual Property Promotion Association (IPPA) http://www.ippa.jp/index2/ is not an industry group. It is an organization to enforce copy right law of visual contents. It represents a video maker in a court when it sues illegally copied video, but nothing more. It is in no position to lead video makers.

2 Here is the statement by IPPA. http://www.ippa.jp/pdf/IPPA20160622.pdf

この度ＡＶプロダクションの関係者逮捕について皆様にご心配をおかけしております こと、大変申し訳なく思っております。メーカー側は法的には問題ないとされておりますが、業界としてはこの事態を重く受け止めております。

We feel sorry for the concerns by everyone that staffs of an adult video firm were arrested. The film maker believes there was not any legal problem, but we, at the industry, take this incident very seriously.

IPPA does not recognize any wrong doing. I do not know how the activist group took this as an apology.

I think one of the problem is the language. An activist group sends a cooked and translated report of something to news agency, which copy paste it into an article without checking the original. So, we have some weird report.

It gets darker when you add children into the picture. The required exposure may be less till these “young idles” reach their legal ages but, once they do, there seems to be a system which “persuades” them into porn industry. I think it’s deep-rooted in Japanese history and, whatsoever some politicians may imagine, from where I stand, it’s not a beautiful part of it (http://oldphotosjapan.com/ja/photos/?c=prostitution).

As usual, poverty plays a significant role in this picture, which makes the reality is not limited in Japan, though (http://truepublica.org.uk/united-kingdom/university-fees-in-britain-doubles-prostitution/). We hear stories in our daily lives but, if they are not investigated with some financial supports, they will remain as “myths” in this modern society where solid data is everything. Then again, who support such researches?

If they are performing sex acts against their will isn't that rape?

I don't understand why the victim didn't consult a lawyer, or the police, at the first threat of being told she would face severe penalties. Seems this could have been dealt with much earlier.

Heh the girls know what's going down - they just don't want to admit it

"I don't understand why the victim didn't consult a lawyer, or the police, at the first threat of being told she would face severe penalties"

Because the "severe penalties" are in the wording of the contract but the reality is that, like the idol who left to become a singer-songwriter, THEY WILL KILL YOU if you don't do what the say. And they will not let the girl leave the set unless she agrees, and more importantly, it's all on camera so they can BLACKMAIL the poor girl if she walks away.

The girl just has to hope that no-one sees the film and recognizes her. There is a reason they all look the same!!

TheGodfatherJUN. 24, 2016 - 08:50PM JST

"I don't understand why the victim didn't consult a lawyer, or the police, at the first threat of being told she would face severe penalties"

Because the "severe penalties" are in the wording of the contract but the reality is that, like the idol who left to become a singer-songwriter, THEY WILL KILL YOU if you don't do what the say.

Or, as other porn stars who worked with the "victim" said in Japanese tabloid press, she was not coerced. She starred as many as 400 porno videos without anyone noticing she was "coerced". The "victim" is said to be Fujiwara Hitomi. By googling her name, you can get numerous cheerful, hot, inviting nude images which make one hard to believe coercion.

The "victim" is said to be Fujiwara Hitomi. By googling her name, you can get numerous cheerful, hot, inviting nude images which make one hard to believe coercion.

If it was actually her.

I seem to recall the earlier articles where many posters here claimed a woman could not be coerced into this industry.

Now it seems even the industry says yes, it happens.

By googling her name, you can get numerous cheerful, hot, inviting nude images which make one hard to believe coercion.

That doesn't prove anything. Actors are paid or in this case possibly forced to act. Have you never smiled when you felt like crying?

I seem to recall the earlier articles where many posters here claimed a woman could not be coerced into this industry.

I seem to recall that no one said such a thing. You are remembering what you think people said, not what was actually said.

"Have you never smiled when you felt like crying?"

But more importantly, it is the FIRST FEW FILMS that show the reality of the forced participation. Video clips of those are freely available to anyone wanting to do their own, err, "research" as I just did.

I remember reading an article a few years back on the dude who's known for being the most in-demand male actor. He said something like, the industry destroys the girls and he cannot have normal intimate relationships either. But that's obvious. And he does it anyway, of course.

I think one of the problem is the language. An activist group sends a cooked and translated report of something to news agency, which copy paste it into an article without checking the original. So, we have some weird report.

What do you think you are reading when you look at an article here? They are self-translated and worded to extract emotional, divisive, and Japan-bashing responses.

I was shocked to see the extent of the porn industry in Japan. It seems every second women between 18-28 is involved in it and mostly girl next door types. It would be shocking to think they do the things they do willingly and even more shocking to think they are forced to do them. Prostitution is illegal of course. Lol.

It seems every second women between 18-28 is involved in it

About 6000 women a year do porn in Japan (most only a single video). Your numbers would mean there are only about 12,000 women between 18-28 in Japan.

"every second woman... is involved... mostly girl next door types"

The conservative estimate from the industry itself is is ONE in TWO-HUNDRED...

http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2011/12/27/av-producer-one-in-200-japanese-women-performed-in-porn/

As long as there is no punishment nothing real will be done, and an apology has no meaning

In Japan, punishment are for private citizen and not for corporations. A quick look at the crime section is speaking volumes.

SO the lesson here is that if someone apologizes for "rape"... I mean "coercion", that makes everything OK?

Erin Loydi BrummetteJUN. 26, 2016 - 04:17PM JST

SO the lesson here is that if someone apologizes for "rape".

Who apologized? Check the original statement by IPPA. They deny any wrong doing.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/japans-porn-industry-apologises-over-coercion-claims#comment_2222092