Age of Consent in Asia: Country by Country
The age of consent in the eight countries we cover is 15, 16 or 18. Three of them raised it in the last few years: Korea in 2020, the Philippines in 2022 and Japan in 2023. Each country page gives the law by name, when it last changed, the close-in-age rule, the separate line for paid sex, and its sources.
Pick a country
Cambodia
15age of consent
No close-in-age rule. Under 18: paid sex is a crime.
Indonesia
18age of consent
Criminal Code: under 18 is a child. Sex with one is rape.
Japan
16age of consent
Raised from 13 in July 2023. Under 18: paid sex is a crime.
Korea
16age of consent
Raised from 13 in May 2020. Under 19: paid sex is a crime.
Philippines
16age of consent
Raised from 12 in March 2022. Under 18: paid sex is a crime.
Taiwan
16age of consent
Unchanged since 1999. Under 18: paid sex is a crime.
Thailand
15age of consent
Penal Code Section 277. Bars and clubs: 20 and over.
Vietnam
16age of consent
Penal Code Article 145. Under 18: paid sex is a crime.
Frequently asked questions
What is the age of consent in Asia?
It depends on the country. Of the eight we cover, it's 15 in Thailand and Cambodia; 16 in Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam; and 18 in Indonesia, where the Criminal Code treats anyone under 18 as a child.
Is the age of consent in Japan 13?
No. It has been 16 since 13 July 2023 (Ministry of Justice). The old limit of 13 had stood for more than a century, AP reported (AP via PBS).
What country's age of consent is 16?
Among the eight we cover: Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Three raised it recently: Korea from 13 in 2020 (Korea Times), the Philippines from 12 in 2022 (RA 11648) and Japan from 13 in 2023 (Ministry of Justice).
What country has a 14-year-old age of consent?
None of the eight countries we cover. The lowest is 15, in Thailand and Cambodia.
Is the age of consent the same for paid sex?
No. In most countries we cover, the line for paid sex is higher: 18 in Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan and Cambodia, and 19 in Korea. Thailand jails anyone who has sex with an under-18 in a prostitution establishment (Section 8). In Indonesia the Criminal Code treats anyone under 18 as a child (Article 150), and sex with a child counts as rape (Article 473).