Age of Consent in Japan

Since 13 July 2023, sex with anyone under 16 is the crime of non-consensual sexual intercourse, even if the younger person agreed (Penal Code, Article 177). It carries at least five years in prison. Parliament passed the change on 16 June 2023 (Ministry of Justice). Before that the line was 13, and AP reported it had stood for more than a century (AP via PBS).

There is a close-in-age rule for 13- to 15-year-olds: the offence applies only when the older person was born at least five years before the younger one (Articles 176 and 177). Below 13 there is no exception at all. The Justice Ministry stresses that a smaller gap doesn't make a relationship equal, so the general consent rules still apply (Ministry of Justice).

The same under-16 rule covers sexual touching, with six months to ten years in prison (Article 176). Since 2023, asking someone under 16 to meet for sex using money, deception, intimidation or repeated requests carries up to one year in prison, and actually meeting them up to two years (Article 182).

For anything paid, the line is 18. Paying, or promising to pay, anyone under 18 for sex or sexual touching is child prostitution, whether the money goes to the young person, a go-between or a guardian (Child Prostitution and Pornography Act, Article 2). It carries up to five years in prison or a fine of up to ¥3 million (Article 4). Arranging it carries up to five years, or seven as a business (Article 5). Causing anyone under 18 to commit an obscene act is a separate crime under the Child Welfare Act, with up to ten years.

Police enforce it. The US State Department reports 331 arrests in child prostitution cases in Japan in 2025 (2026 Trafficking in Persons report).

On top of national law, every prefecture has a youth ordinance that punishes 'obscene acts' with under-18s, though the wording differs from one prefecture to the next (Osaka Prefecture youth council report). Japan's Supreme Court ruled in 1985 that these ordinances don't cover every relationship: only sex that uses seduction, intimidation, deception or other improper means, or that treats a young person merely as a sexual object (Osaka Prefecture youth council report).

Tokyo is the clearest example. Since 2005 its ordinance bans 'obscene' sex or similar acts with anyone under 18, with up to two years in prison or a ¥1 million fine (Tokyo youth ordinance, Articles 18-6 and 24-3). It also bars taking anyone under 18 out between 11 pm and 4 am without a guardian's consent or another good reason (Article 15-4). So sex with a 16- or 17-year-old can be legal under the Penal Code and still break a local ordinance.

Your own country's law travels with you. A US citizen or permanent resident who pays anyone under 18 for sex abroad, or commits a sexual act with someone under 18 that would be a federal sex crime on US federal territory, faces up to 30 years in US federal prison (18 U.S.C. § 2423). The Justice Department says the reason for the trip doesn't matter (US Department of Justice).

A UK national who does something abroad that would be a listed sexual offence in England and Wales is guilty of it there, even if it was legal where it happened (Sexual Offences Act 2003, section 72). Paying for sex with anyone under 18 is one of those offences (section 47). Canadian citizens and permanent residents who commit a listed sexual offence abroad against anyone under 18 are treated as if they did it in Canada (Criminal Code, section 7). That includes paying for sex with anyone under 18, which carries up to 14 years and at least six months for a first offence (section 286.1).

Australia draws its line at 16. Its citizens and residents face up to 25 years for sex with a child under 16 anywhere outside Australia, and sex with a 16- or 17-year-old is covered when the adult is in a position of trust or authority, such as their employer (Criminal Code Act 1995, Division 272).

Japan does the same for its own citizens: its child prostitution offences apply to Japanese nationals abroad (Child Prostitution and Pornography Act, Article 10). The US State Department reports that Japan used this to win at least one conviction for child sexual exploitation abroad (2026 Trafficking in Persons report).

Licensed clubs, including hostess clubs, may not admit customers under 18, may not have under-18s entertain customers, and may not serve alcohol to anyone under 20 (Entertainment Business Act, Article 22). Adult shops may not admit under-18s and must post a notice at the entrance saying so (Article 28). Hostess venues, adult shops and late-night bars must check the date of birth and nationality of anyone who will deal with customers, using official documents, and keep a record (Article 36-2). An operator who uses an under-age worker can only escape punishment by showing they weren't negligent (Article 51).

If someone seems underage, held against their will or forced to work, call the police on 110 in an emergency, or #9110 for non-urgent advice. The National Police Agency's anonymous tip line for human trafficking is 0120-924-839. Child abuse can be reported to child guidance centres on 189. The Immigration Services Agency lists all of these, plus a foreign-language information centre on 0570-013904 (Immigration Services Agency). From the US, you can also report suspected child sex tourism to NCMEC's CyberTipline at report.cybertip.org or on 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day (NCMEC).