What is the Act on Filming Sexual Acts?

The Act on Filming Sexual Acts is a new law that came into effect in July 2023. This law criminalizes the act of secretly filming a person’s sexual parts.

Why was this law enacted?

• Widespread use of smartphones: The proliferation of smartphones has made it easier for people to take videos and photos, leading to an increase in voyeurism.
• Increase in victimization: The number of voyeurism cases has increased, resulting in serious infringements on victims’ privacy.
• Inadequacies of existing laws: Previous laws had various limitations when it came to punishing voyeuristic acts.

Key points of the Act on Filming Sexual Acts

• Acts covered: The act covers the filming of a person’s sexual parts (genitals, breasts, buttocks, etc.) without their consent.
• Location: The law applies not only to public places but also to private places such as homes.
• Means of filming: Any device capable of recording images, such as cameras, smartphones, and dashcams, is covered.
• Penalties: Violators can face up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 1 million yen.

Differences between the Act on Filming Sexual Acts and previous laws

• Previous laws: While minor offenses and prefectural nuisance prevention ordinances punished voyeurism, their scope was narrow and the penalties were lenient.
• Act on Filming Sexual Acts: This law clearly defines the acts covered and imposes stricter penalties.

Examples of acts that constitute a violation of the Act

• Filming up a person’s skirt or face on a train or escalator
• Peeping and filming in a changing room
• Secretly taking photos of a victim as part of stalking

Points to note

• If you are a victim: Consult the police. If you have any evidence such as photos or videos, submit them to the police.
• Avoid actions that could be misinterpreted in Japan: Avoid actions that could be misinterpreted, such as walking through crowded places with your camera on or following closely behind others.
• Do not imitate actions seen on the internet or adult sites.
• Engaging in the indiscriminate filming of others and voyeurism can be addictive. Countless people have become addicted to illegal acts and have been arrested multiple times but cannot stop.

Summary

The Act on Filming Sexual Acts is an extremely important law for protecting victims’ privacy. It is imperative that each of us understands this law and contributes to the creation of a society free from sexual crimes.