patriarchy still grips Japan

[ensho]

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/JE10Dh01.html


The young ones

-snip-

Japan has one of the lowest ages of sexual consent in the world; it's as low as 13 in metro Tokyo and the national age of consent ranges between 13 and 18 depending on the province. In fact, in Japan, the practice of having sex with teenage girls is not prosecutable if the young woman says "yes". This is where enjo kosai acts a loophole; any girl saying "yes, but for 50,000 yen" (US$495)immediately renders the situation illegal. The brunt of punishment, however, falls on the male customer, generally for solicitation and prostitution. Such cases can be aggravated by the fact the female is a minor, or under 18 in terms of recent legislation.

This is where the loophole becomes a pedophile's dream scenario. If he "dates" the underage woman, buys her gifts and occasionally provides her with cash ostensibly for shopping, buying books or spending time with friends, then the money or gifts were not technically provided on a sex-for-money transaction. Otherwise, this would equal prostitution and be punishable by law

-snip-

Unless they speak fluent Japanese and are familiar with the cultural nuances the relationship requires, foreigners are extremely unlikely to have an enjo kosai experience. For foreigners, sex-for-hire in Japan is limited to paying imported Thai and Filipino girls at inflated Japanese rates; most Japanese clubs with Japanese girls do not permit foreigners.
-snip-
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the writer's ignorance of the subject shows throughout the article.

women and girls do not belong to men. in Japan or any place else on earth.

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. The writer isn't ignorant at all - he gave an accurate, truthful reporting.

I'd say that's a pretty fair and accurate shot of what's happening.

I'm curious where you think he got the facts wrong.

[ensho]

2. no, not the facts - his facts were fine - an example

"With all the debate over "victims" and "predators" one must wonder which of these societies are really enlightened. Is it the US and Western countries that criminalize sex, or is it a country like Japan which does not prosecute when there are not clear victims? Of course, in any situation where there is no consent, or there is an abuse of authority or coercion, the case should be prosecuted. Certainly, any sexual contact with a person under 12 years old should be vigorously prosecuted as pedophilia."

and this:

"Will Japan's neighbors adopt similar views on youth sex, or will they bend to the influence of the West? We can only wait and see ... and hope that creating legally defined victims and predators is limited to situations where victims actually exist. "

[El Pinko]

5. A lot of these girls are doing "enjo kosai" so they can get Louis Vuitton bags and Chanel duds.

It makes no sense at all. Teen girls selling their innocence to middle-aged creeps just to get designer crap.

[razors edge]

3. I once had a Japanese man tell me

That Japan built it's country on the backs of it's women, whereas the US built it's country on the backs of immigrants.

[ensho]

4. exactly - that patriarchal grip

nt