Japan porn industry apologizes for coercion, promises reform

One of the year’s biggest stories continues to get bigger.

Exploitation and coercion in the Japanese AV industry has been condemned for trafficking. It has sparked a public debate about labor rights for porn performers, or the lack thereof.

The issue of coercing women to appear in porn has even led to arrests. In days past, such people in the porn industry were presumably protected by the Yakuza but the ongoing civil war may have shaken up the system.

Amid intense media attention, now an AV industry association has issued a formal apology and promised reform.

The Intellectual Property Promotion Association (IPPA) said it was “deeply sorry not to have taken any active action of our own volition”. It said it would “encourage producers to take action to quickly improve the situation and restore the soundness of the entire industry”.

Campaigners such as Shihoko Fujiwara of the group Lighthouse, which works to combat trafficking, said it was probably the first statement of its kind by the industry.

Around 80% of Japan’s AV performers are members of the association, though this only counts the members of the “official” industry. Of course, there is an underground sub-industry too, where exploitation is surely even worse.

The activist group Human Rights Now, which has been leading the fight against trafficking and exploitation, said the numbers of women seeking counselling over industry abuses increased 80% last year from 2014.

Could we be on the verge of genuine reform in the AV industry? And how will this affect products for the end user?