Innocence lost: the dark side of Akihabara

Wednesday 08th July, 06:01 AM JST

By Patrick W Galbraith

TOKYO —

The crowd in the Ishimaru Soft event space in Akihabara sits anxiously awaiting the arrival of an idol, whose most recent DVD they purchased for the right to meet her. Led on by the MC, the 50 or so middle-aged men call out in unison: “Mana-chan!” After two more calls, she appears—a girl of 13, looking dazed and sheepish. As the cameras zoom in, she strips down to her bikini, which drapes on her under-developed form.

Mana is a “low teen” pursuing a career as a model. As abhorrent as it may sound, children as young as 2 who are billed as “junior idols” release photo books and DVDs. Insofar as the models do not expose their breasts or genitals, this is not against the law. But the way scantily clad kids blow on flutes and lick ice cream cones in front of the camera has raised eyebrows at home and abroad.

The idol industry in Japan in general is estimated at 60 billion yen annually, and junior idols shift some 3 million photo books and DVDs per year. There are countless websites (such as Pure Little Sister Club) and a syndicated magazine (Moecco) catering to fans.

This trend began in the ’90s, when columnist Akio Nakamori coined the term “chidol,” or child idol, to describe the sudden increase of young models. The neologism fell out of favor and was replaced by “junior idol,” which shifts the emphasis from childhood and links the phenomenon with legitimate up-and-coming idols.

In Akihabara, long known for its stock of lolicon (Lolita Complex) and “little sister” movies and magazines, the number of shops advertising idol DVDs marked U-15 (under-15) has quietly increased.

“This is a gray area in Japan, but the residents of Akihabara and I find it reprehensible,” says Takaya Kobayashi, 54, a Chiyoda Ward councilman.

But at places such as Oimoya, located right on Akihabara’s main street of Chuo Dori, fans crowd around merchandise displays featuring underage girls.

“Looking at junior idols soothes me,” explains Shigure Akagi, 45, an artist who says he draws inspiration from these products. “I do not have children of my own, so seeing them makes me happy.”

He isn’t the only one. Mr, the most eccentric member of Takashi Murakami’s stable of pop artists, admits he suffers from lolicon, and recruited junior idols to star in his 2008 film, “Nobody Dies.”

Ostensibly, the parents who sign their daughters to be junior idols are hoping they achieve mainstream fame like Mr’s girls. And it isn’t impossible. Saaya Irie, for example, was cast in “Hell Girl” and other TV programs after her stint as a child model.

Legally, this is a dark shade of gray. A 1999 Japanese law bans children in depictions of sex, genital touching and “arousing” nudity, but junior idols manage to skirt these issues. In 2002, Japan signed the U.N.’s Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, which bans “any representation, by whatever means, of real or simulated explicit sexual activities or any representation of the sexual parts of a child for primarily sexual purposes.” Defenders say images of junior idols are not for “primarily” sexual purposes. Indeed, scenes in these DVDs can be as harmless as family travel videos. Just not always.

This may be gray, but people overseas are seeing red. In April 2008, UNICEF distributed a petition with 21,000 signatures asking Japan to curb junior idols and lolicon anime. In November, at an international meeting in Brazil, Japan was condemned as “The Nation of Child Porn.” Japan and Russia, the organizers say, are the only G8 nations that have not taken action against child exploitation.

Japanese authorities fire back that it is hard to define what is and isn’t art, and that policing the small, independent publishers and video companies is tough. Meanwhile, the numbers show that Japan is, in reality, a safe place for kids: there were 754 reported cases of sexual abuse in 2000, compared to 89,500 in the United States. This could, however, be due to underreporting, or the fact that the official age of consent can be 13 in some places.

Junior idols sell raw innocence—a major commodity today.

This story originally appeared in Metropolis magazine (www.metropolis.co.jp).

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Latest 15 of 229 Total Comments Show All

LFRAgain at 01:26 PM JST - 14th July

BeaverCleaver,

The clip in question is produced for mainstream TV, in a mainstream market, for a mainstream audience. You cannot honestly believe that a simply pencil tabulation of the number of people interviewed somehow creates a clear picture. This is a very typical mass-media, "Oh, look at what we found under this rock this week" piece, complete with the usual suspects like the father who peddles his daughter for a profit - a character for which the voiceover harbors no neutral sentiment at all. At no point whatsoever does the clip present the subject matter in a positive light, and if you think it's being even remotely neutral, then you are absolutely incapable of having a rational conversation about this topic. Bias indeed.

This clip took an overwhelmingly negative stance towards this so-called U-15 trend. You know it, I know it, and so does everyone else. Your simple scratch-pad calculations don’t change that fact. Had the news clip been more “balanced,” there would have been no need for blurring out the faces of the pro-child exploitation fellows. Why do you think their faces were blurred out in the first place? Please, answer that one question. Why the need for anonymity?

”You a citizen? How about you Cleo? EVERY right? Not quite.”

LOL! According to the United Nations and treaties the Japanese government has signed with regard to child exploitation, you would appear to be as wrong about this as you are about everything else. As a citizen of the world, I have every right under the sun. Being a taxpaying permanent resident Japan is also certainly a nice plus. And having a spouse who’s, well, Japanese? Well, that’s just icing on the cake.

”I have been digging for information to prove an increase or decrease in child sex offenses since the big awareness campaign called the 1980's, including child porn offenses, and you know what I found? Nothing but a bunch of controversy on the question. So all I can say is: inconclusive. Your theory, my theory, anybody's theory. Its all best guesses.”

So, in other words, all of the spit and vinegar you’ve been spreading here about how wrong other posters are in opposing child exploitation in Japan has been based on absolutely nothing? Wonderful. Thanks for wasting everyone's time.

This has been a productive discussion, Beave. So far, you managed to backpedal on your initial long-standing assertion that Japanese has always been more sexually liberal than the West, and you’ve managed to admit that you haven’t a shred of evidence to support your long-standing claim that children participating in sexual or sexually charged activities does not cause harm. Anything else you’d like to retract, since you’re in the giving mood?
Lamborghini at 03:26 PM JST - 14th July

What I was saying BeaverCleaver is that people are looking at this “Mana-chan!” through WESTERNs Glasses and posting their disapproval and saying Japan needs to change and become more westernized, Japan does not need to be westernized the gaikokujin need to Turn Japanese. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4hQ6r87c

WHEN IN JAPAN, DO AS THE JAPANESE DO - "Don't set your own rules when you are someone's guest.” I see a lot of Gaikokujin here in Japan complaining about Japan non-stop and saying Japan should drop its cultures, beliefs etc etc and become westernized. If people want to live in a Westernized Country then why have they come to Japan?

Teen Idols like this “Mana-chan!” is part of Japanese culture now and if people do not like it then no one has a gun to their heads telling them view it.

LFRAgain - Being a taxpaying permanent resident Japan still does not give you any rights what so ever, you need to become Japanese to have rights in Japan

And MODS, will you stop deleting anything PRO-Japan that I post. You seem to let comments attacking Japan stay yet delete comments that defend Japan.
BeaverCleaver at 05:46 PM JST - 14th July

LFRAgain,-"My particularly favorite part is how you’ve instantly gone from “Japan’s ALWAYS been more sexually liberal” "

Its an interesting quote, because I don't remember saying it. Is it really a quote, or are you putting words in my mouth? I really hope it is a quote, word for word, and you can tell me where you got it, because man, you are in a deep enough hole already.

"You cannot honestly believe that a simply pencil tabulation of the number of people interviewed somehow creates a clear picture."

Of your bias? It most certainly does. And those words directed at me shows your bias yet again, shows how your thinking is completely clouded by emotion and how you logic has gone south.

You said virtually every person in the clip showed shock and disapproval. My pen proved that was not true. It proved you are seeing what you want to see, and assuming people's opinions who were neither asked nor directly expressed their opinion somehow share yours.

My last sentence in that post again: "None of it proves anything for all of Japan though. It just proves your bias."

So yeah, I know this wanna-be documentary began as proof of nothing (poll separate mind you, it MIGHT have merit where the clip does not). But as soon as you watched it and saw a clear majority of disapproval that was not there, you proved how much your bias is in control of what you see and think, and that evidence you do not like will be promptly discarded, just because you don't like it. Confirmation bias. Even if I accepted the 3 foreigners, 7 is still not virtually everyone compared to 4. Assuming the opinion of every one interviewed, actually accepting a little of your bias (except the lawyer, can't even guess where to put him) putting 2 researchers and narrator in the con, and father, bookseller, and idol in the pro, we get 10 to 7, still not virtually everyone. Your bias is like an elephant in the room you refuse to acknowledge. Its beyond ridiculous.
LFRAgain at 06:19 PM JST - 14th July

Lamborghini,

Apparently you missed the recurring theme throughout this entire thread, but the point being made is that this is not something that only foreigners notice and are opposed to. At the risk of boring you with a repetition of one of the earliest points made in the thread (and in the article), Chiyoda Ward councilman Takaya Kobayashi says, "The residents of Akihabara and I find it reprehensible." His words, not those of Westerners allegedly bent on "Westernizing" Japan. It just so happens that I, and many other foreigners agree with him. And it also just so happens that the vast majority (87%) of the Japanese public over 20 agrees as well (http://www8.cao.go.jp/survey/tokubetu/h19/h19-yugai.pdf), believing that materials that exploit or harm children, even this borderline “grey area” crap, should be prohibited.

And as much as it’s appreciated that you’re rushing to Japan’s defense, “Japan bashing” isn’t what’s going on here in the least. In fact, there’s been a great deal of time and energy expended on my part and Cleo’s part to convince a certain poster that the vast majority of Japanese men are not, as he would claim, interested in kiddie porn. That hardly sounds like the efforts of anyone who's anti-Japan.

Furthermore, expressing the opinion that this junior idol garbage, a trend that purposefully skirts existing laws in order to provide as close to a sexually titillating product as possible without being illegal (chewing up a banana, then spitting out the paste to simulate semen on the face?), is deeply, profoundly wrong is not ANTI-Japan. It’s anti-Exploitative a-holes who produce this crap. Unless, of course, you’re suggesting that the 87% of the Japanese adult public who also oppose this underage garbage hates its own country?

As to your point regarding my rights in Japan, when it comes to protecting the life and wellbeing of my child, sorry, again, you are wrong. The Japanese Child Welfare Law guarantees that my child, regardless of citizenship, will be protected from harm as far as Japanese law can protect it. That is further reinforced by a number of United Nations resolutions and treaties to which Japan is a happy and willing signatory. Furthermore, as a permanent resident, I do indeed have specifically enumerated rights with regard to my child’s welfare, thanks in large part to a small number of foreign residents who didn’t simply tow the “Do as the Japanese Do” line, and take civil and human rights abuses with nary a peep of opposition. So, thank you for the “When In Rome” lesson, but I’m afraid these particular Romans aren’t rooting quite for what you think they are.
LFRAgain at 06:48 PM JST - 14th July

BeaverCleaver,

"Its an interesting quote, because I don't remember saying it . . . "

Playing coy and oblivious just doesn't suit you.

Well, then again . . .

Again, your capacity for intellectual dishonesty is indeed vast. That you can't (or won't) see that there isn't an iota of approval on the part of the producers of this video segment, much less neutrality, speaks volumes about just how clouded your perception is of the topic. But like I said, you just keep plugging away there, champ.
BeaverCleaver at 07:25 PM JST - 14th July

LFRAgain-"Again, your capacity for intellectual dishonesty is indeed vast."

Did I deny saying it? No, I did not. It sounds like something I might have said, but it also appears parsed and out of context. But, again, we have clear onus on you and you balking. You are the one who is intellectually dishonest. Asking for an exact quote rather than a paraphrase is completely above board. Intellectual dishonesty is acting like it isn't and holding out on doing it.

I will gladly explain to you why there is no disparity in the two statements, but given your emotionalism, refusal to come out of attack mode, lack of clarity and honesty, I am not about to go tinkering with half a picture and guess about what I meant and what I was talking about. The thread is filled with enough guessing as it is, not to mention your intellectual dishonesty.

As an aside, would stop accusing me of your sins?
Toecutter at 07:43 PM JST - 14th July

@BeaverCleaver

sigh Well have to agree to disagree on whether its a growth industry or not. If you have reliable stats which establish that the audience for this material is relatively constant, Ill concede the point. The same goes for whether or not its a growth industry.

All hedging aside, your answer is "yes, it`s okay to eroticize children".

So, if I follow your argument; there will always be people who will get their freak on to this type of material, therefore we should appease them by supplying it, since it does more good than harm to encourage these people to think that having sexual fantasies about children is okay. Therefore, exploiting children for the sexual gratification (and profit) of adults is actually doing society a favour. Afterall, it doesn`t do any damage, and we are all better off because of it.

That`s your argument?! Sorry BC, I appreciate the vigour with which you defend your arguments, but this is simply wrong on so many levels, and to believe this argument is simply naive. There are consequences for allowing, even encouraging, people to believe that having sexual fantasies about children is okay.

Im sure you can think of a few. Again, well just have to agree to disagree on this point.
BeaverCleaver at 08:11 PM JST - 14th July

LFRAgain-" Why do you think their faces were blurred out in the first place? Please, answer that one question. Why the need for anonymity?"

I think everyone not born yesterday knows the answer to that question. Scant few people go on record detailing their sexual predilictions, it hardly matters the prediliction. Can you imagine the effects of just going on national TV and saying how much you just love going down on a woman? How it really does it for you? You would never hear the end of it if you worked in an office. If you were an English teacher, you probably would not get your contract renewed next year because some kids would never shut up about it and parents would be appalled.

On the other hand, if you went on TV and said anything and everthing sexual was disgusting, and even conception should be test tube and in-vitro (but never shouted or insisted it be law) you would get a few raised eyebrows but I doubt your career would be in jeopardy. Such is the weirdness of human beings. You may safely insult any sexual preference or desire. Admitting one exposes you to social problems.

What is more, I would not be surprised if there was porn on your harddrive you don't show your wife. I bet you got kinks you don't tell her about either. Detailing what you got and like on TV would sort of be the same as showing and telling her. Duh. Would you ask the same question if they were asking people if they cheated and blurred their faces if they said "yes"?
BeaverCleaver at 08:27 PM JST - 14th July

Toecutter-"Well have to agree to disagree on whether its a growth industry or not. "

That my friend is a completely different topic. Not every guy with an interest runs out and buys immediately. You think some guys might be camera shy? Yeah, every store has cameras these days. The industry grows as more guys get over whatever is keeping them from the bookstore and as they accept that its their only legal route to what they want. (Hopefully abandon any illegal things they were doing). The industry growing does not prove that loli is as addictive as crack cocaine. I am not buying that. But if you think it is, I would love hear why.

"Therefore, exploiting children for the sexual gratification (and profit) of adults is actually doing society a favour. "

That is where you slipped. No children are being exploited. They are not even naked.

"There are consequences for allowing, even encouraging, people to believe that having sexual fantasies about children is okay."

Allowing? You cannot stop people having fantasies, so I suggest you get over that before you go bald. Encouraging? Maybe if some aliens fall to Earth ignorant of the law they would feel encouraged! Come on, its no mystery that acting out the fantasy is as illegal as acting out the movie Scream and butchering half the town! And yes, the movie Scream worries me more than this, which isn't much.

I know and agree that some people will be influenced by this, but like I keep saying, THE WORLD IS FULL OF CHILDREN AND YOU CANNOT MISS THEM, so some non-nude pictures even with bikinis and sexy poses is still not going to be the primary stimili that makes a man realize he likes kids. So yes, throw that dog a bone before he tears your kid's leg off.
Spider at 08:36 PM JST - 14th July

It's perfectly normal for men to look at teenage girls and feel aroused, just as they would be aroused by any older female. I believe this article focuses upon Mana-chan who is a teenager.

It happens all the time. On the street, on TV and images in magazines. The men aren't 'sick', they don't need therapy and lead otherwise boringly normal lives.

Sadly, the whole issue of U-15 idols has been hijacked by the 'castrate and lock 'em up' vigil-anti mob. Reasoned, non-hysterical debate is impossible.

Why do the Japanese allow this 'sick filth'? Because they, quite reasonably, see no harm in monitoring and controling it's production.

Naturally Mana-Chan was "looking dazed and sheepish". Press conferences and photo calls such as this can be quite intimidating. It in no way suggests that she is being coerced.
BeaverCleaver at 08:48 PM JST - 14th July

Oh, and Toecutter, ideals are great and all, but if you cannot figure out where the possible stops and the impossible begins, you run a serious risk of doing more harm than good.

There used to be a day when kids sat on Santa's lap. We all know some guys got their jollies doing that. I sat on Santa's lap a few times. Oh well. It was better than sending the message "Be afraid of Santa, be VERY afraid of Santa!" I would bet the overwhelming majority of even the guys who were getting their jollies never harmed a kid. But I have no idea what their like are doing today, but I suspect its worse. And having kids on the alert for Santa is not very positive either.
griff at 10:22 AM JST - 15th July

men feeling attracted to young girls they see walking around on the street does indeed happen, and may do no harm, but should at least be frowned upon since it is of little benefit to society and the possible risks involved are great. that said, having an interest in place to present this material is not frowning upon it, in fact, it is the opposite. making this material a commercial commodity communicates suggests some degree of tacit legitimisation of it. i believe this is what a lot of people on this thread have been trying to say.
BeaverCleaver at 05:17 PM JST - 15th July

"but should at least be frowned upon since it is of little benefit to society and the possible risks involved are great."

Little benefit to society? I guess we could also say that any sexual interest beyond intercourse for procreation is of little benefit to society and start frowning upon it. Breast lovers, your prediliction has been deemed of "little benefit to society". Clean your harddrive of your mammary filth, now.

And possible risks? Man, what doesn't have a "possible" risk? Lakes, ponds, swimming pools and bathtubs are possible risks that a child could die, far more than anything this junior idol industry could possibly spark, they are a huge danger. Are you campaigning to fill those bodies of water in? What possible risks about the junior idol industry are you alerting us to that compares to those? Some of those bodies of water are also of little benefit to society. Some do nothing but breed mosquitos which spread West Nile Disease!

"that said, having an interest in place to present this material is not frowning upon it, in fact, it is the opposite."

Having clear laws against putting the fantasy to reality that can get you jail time is frowning upon it ten times more than being able to purchase some pictures is smiling upon it.

"making this material a commercial commodity communicates suggests some degree of tacit legitimisation of it. i believe this is what a lot of people on this thread have been trying to say."

Yes, and I do not deny that. But that little bit of extra frowning upon it is not going to accomplish anything.

This is the same as saying banning violent films and games will reduce people's desire to be violent, and therefore, violence in society will go down. If people were living like rats in an extraordinarily comfortable lab cage, and all other factors were eliminated, it might actually work. But since you can never isolate people from much greater factors affecting their tendency for violence or their sexuality, its not going to do anything positive. In fact, the removal of a vehicle for release and satisfaction for desires picked up by living in any real society are just going to cause more trouble. By the numbers, Japan seems to be doing far better than where this "frowning upon it" business is scripture.
Spider at 06:43 PM JST - 15th July

it is of little benefit to society and the possible risks involved are great

Benefit to society? Risks involved? How many other things could you name which have little or no benfit to society? What an odd viewpoint! As for risks! What risks are there in an ordinary guy/girl looking at a member of the opposite sex in a sexual manner.

If I happen to notice a pretty 16 year old there are a number of things which cross my mind, some of them are sexual. What risk is there in this? Am I now in danger of becoming a sexual deviant? Am I already a sexual deviant? Is this uncommon behaviour? Does it need to be surpressed? Should we ask young ladies to wear longer skirts and wolly sweaters?
truthfulchat at 08:10 PM JST - 6th September

The people who are pro-junior idol are nothing but old pervs who dream about sleeping with children, so that is why they buy those magazines and watch the videos because they want to have their fantasies. The parents who permit their children to do this, as well as any parents who allow their children to be sexualized, care more about money than their own children. I believe Japan has took it to an extreme when it comes to openess and acceptance, but any Western country will have their magazines and websites, the difference is it is not openly supported by the majority of Western citizens and governments as Japan does.