Popular Japanese Politician Tamaki Yuichiro Attends Porn Law Symposium

Woman signing contract
A number of political party representatives - including popular Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) leader Tamaki Yuichiro - attended a symposium this week aimed at changing the so-called "new Adult Video Law." Adult industry attendees hope Tamaki's attention helps drive changes to the law, which they say is hurting their livelihoods.

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A group of adult film stars, producers, sex workers, and even a number of prominent party politicians – including Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) leader Tamaki Yuichiro – participated in a symposium this week intended to change Japan’s so-called “new AV law” regulating adult video production.

The New AV Law went into effect in June 2022. It imposes a one-month waiting between when a performer in an AV signs a contract and filming starts, and another four-month period between the end of filming and release of the final product. It also makes it illegal not to provide a copy of a contract to a performer and allows a performer to cancel a contract within one year of signing.

Proponents say the law was intended to protect women who are forced to sign contracts against their will, essentially enslaving them. The law also aims to protect 18 and 19-year-olds, who can now legally sign contracts after Japan lowered the age of adulthood from 20 to 18.

However, AV industry stars and producers say the law’s onerous conditions have led to canceled and delayed shoots, imperiling their livelihoods.

The industry’s been working for years to raise awareness around the law and encourage politicians to revise it to protect performer’s rights. In February of this year, over 100 porn stars took to the streets of Ginza in public protest.

Tamaki: It’s time to change the AV Law

AV Star Protest
Picture: mits / PIXTA(ピクスタ)

The campaign might be working. This week’s symposium in Tokyo, MC’d by TV producer and activist Terry Ito, met to discuss how the law should be altered so that it protects innocent victims without negatively impacting the people – especially the industry’s female stars – who voluntarily chose porn as a career.

“We want to revise it while keeping the good parts,” Ito said in his introductory remarks, acknowledging the worthwhile provisions of the existing law.

Representatives from Japan’s major political parties, including the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), Ishin no Kai/Innovation Party, and even (Goddess help us) the Protect the People from the NHK Party were in attendance.

The Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) also had a representative. Not just any representative, however. Popular party leader Tamaki Yuichiro himself participated in the forum on behalf of the DPFP.

Tamaki’s party grabbed 28 seats in the October 2024 Lower House election. While it’s not the largest party in the government, it’s enjoying a huge burst of popularity, especially among Japan’s younger voters.

“This law’s biggest problem was that it was passed without listening to the voices of all of you in the trenches,” he told the audience. “The time has come to change the law to give you a realistic, legally sound response – one, of course, that strikes a balance with protecting those who ought to be protected.”

Tokyo Sports reports that many at the symposium were excited by Tamaki’s appearance, taking it as a sign that revision could become a reality sometime next year.

The DPFP and Ishin no Kai already submitted a proposed revision to the law on December 14th. The law would allow performers with past work in the industry who are 20 years of age or older to shorten the waiting periods from one or four months down to one week.

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