The new law is intended to fight exploitation in Japan’s multi-billion-dollar porn industry. It is expected to counter those unscrupulous talent scouts offering enticing work as a model or performer before driving recruits into pornography.
Tokyo-based lawyer Kazuko Ito told news agency AFP that instances when people are forced to appear in porn movies, can result in “serious trauma.”
The law allows those who appear in adult movies to cancel their contracts within a year of the work’s release for any reason and without paying penalty fees. If a performer exercises this right then the video must be deleted and recalled.
Initially contracts may be cancelled up to 2 years after a film is released, but that period is expected to be lowered to 12 months later.
Additionally, porn producers must now wait a month after a contract is signed to begin filming and four months to release the work after it has been filmed.
Individuals who use intimidation to stop performers withdrawing contracts could face up to three years in jail and a fine of up to 3 million yen. For companies, fines can reach up to 100 million yen.
The value of the pornography market in Japan was estimated to reach approximately 106 billion Japanese yen in fiscal year 2019, according to this Statista.com report.
OPINION: Waiting a month after a contract is signed to begin filming is an excellent opportunity for a period of reflection on behalf of the prospective performer - if new to the industry. This law will certainly go some way to help those who are victims of exploitation but it will also have a chilling effect on the Japanese porn industry as a whole. It may well jeopardize the ethical porn businesses if they are subjected to the whims of performers who would otherwise honor their contractual obligations prior to this new law.