TOKYO, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government plans to raise the country's legal age of consent for sex, currently among the world's lowest at 13, to 16, as part of a major overhaul of sex crime legislation.
The legislative council, a panel set up by the Justice Ministry to review and advise on civil and criminal law, presented the recommendations to Justice Minister Ken Saito on Friday, which also included making the secret filming of someone's genitals or underwear and sharing such images an offense punishable under the Penal Code.
The government aims to submit an amendment to the Penal Code during the current parliamentary session.
The move, which critics say are long overdue and urgently needed to protect vulnerable minors from sexual offenses, came after a series of rape acquittals that sparked public outcry.
Japan's current age of consent, one of the lowest among developed nations, has stayed unchanged since its enactment in 1907.
Under the current law, children at least 13 years old are considered capable of consent, meaning sexual activity with them is not considered statutory rape. There have been calls to raise it to better reflect reality as sexual exploitation of minors has increasingly come into focus. ■
