[Japanese Law Amendment] Revision of Japanese Civil Code: Coming of Age at 18 Now Allows Participation in Adult Videos

Hello everyone! Today, Xiaoxue is here to introduce something that, although it's a change in Japanese law, has had a significant impact on the adult video industry.

As of April, Japan amended its law to lower the age of adulthood from 20 to 18. This means that aside from being able to drink alcohol, apply for credit cards, and loans without parental consent, once you turn 18, you can directly sign a contract with an AV agency to become an adult video actress.

Some of you might wonder, wasn't it always the case that 18 or 19-year-old actresses could debut in the AV industry?

Image Source: Newcomer NO.1STYLE Risa Onodera AV Debut

Indeed, girls aged 18 or 19 were allowed to debut and film AVs, but unlike shooting as an adult (20 years or older), they held a "right to withdraw", which means that if they felt uncomfortable or something was not right before or after the shooting, they could choose not to proceed with the filming.

However, they lose this right if they are considered adults shooting an AV. Once they sign the contract, they must fulfill the terms, and by lowering the adult age to 18, this implies that 18 and 19-year-olds filming AVs no longer have this "right to withdraw".

Former actress Kuri Kaki mentioned that at 19, she was scouted under the pretense of releasing music but was instead led into filming AVs, surrounded and pressured by a dozen people to sign a contract, calling it an "never-ending scar." As a result, she advocates for maintaining this "right to withdraw" for 18 and 19-year-olds.

For young people, their curiosity or unfamiliarity with the social environment as they step into adulthood might lead them into the AV industry, potentially resulting in harm. What do you think about this?

Although public perception of AV may have gradually improved in recent years, many still consider it inappropriate as a "first job" right out of school, including myself, Xiaoxue.

Besides well-known production companies and agencies, there are numerous amateur shooting crews in Japan, particularly those under the FC2 "community-style" AV teams. They extend offers to young people, providing their own themes and what they will offer during shooting. However, there is no "industry standard," making it extremely likely for those unfamiliar with the AV industry to fall into contractual traps and cheaply sell their bodies.

Therefore, I, Xiaoxue, believe that if young adults are to be allowed to film AVs, more comprehensive regulations for amateur productions should be established to better protect the youth, rather than outright banning it.