Sexuality in Japan
[1] Arguably[2] mass-produced pornography in Japan may have begun as early as the Edo period (1603–1868), as erotic artwork referred to as shunga that was typically produced with woodblock prints in the 1,000's.
These erotic images were declared obscene and banned in 1772 by the Tokugawa shogunate, although they continued to be produced underground in smaller numbers.
[4][5] In contemporary times Japanese pornography has gained a worldwide following and is frequently translated and exported to other cultures because of its large spectrum of themes and media.
[11] Nudity and sex officially entered Japanese cinema with Satoru Kobayashi's controversial and popular independent production Flesh Market (Nikutai no Ichiba, 1962), which is considered the first true pink film.
[13] When ownership of VCRs first became widespread in the early 1980s, AVs (adult videos) made their appearance and quickly became highly popular.
[14] As early as 1982 the AVs had already attained an approximately equal share of the adult entertainment market with theatrical erotic films.
Outside Japan lolicon generally refers to the genre of seijin manga wherein childlike female characters are depicted in an erotic manner.
[citation needed] However, critics state that the lolicon genre of seijin manga, wherein childlike females are depicted in an erotic way, contributes to sexual abuse of children.
[20][21][22][23] Several countries have attempted to criminalize lolicon's sexually explicit forms as a type of child pornography, Canada, Australia,[24] New Zealand, Sweden,[25] the Philippines[26] and Ireland[citation needed] are among those that have done so.
Because Japanese law defines prostitution as "intercourse with an unspecified person in exchange for payment," in order to remain legal, most sex clubs offer only non-coital services.
Originally in Japanese history the martial art Hojōjutsu, which trained people in tying others up or restraining them with rope, was practiced and developed over long periods of time.
However, with the advent of BDSM in modern Japan came an eroticized offspring of Hojōjutsu, called kinbaku,[31] that focuses more on gentler holds and uses the historical shame of being tied up to further humiliate the "bottom".
Kinbaku has introduced to the West ties and positions that specifically apply pressure on the bottom's erogenous zones, asymmetric uses of patterns that give the bottom two uncomfortable positions to choose from, emphasizing simpler, more elegant ties over the elaborate, decorative knots of the West, as well as use of specific katas (forms) and aesthetic rules.
Historically, the Shinto religion "had no special code of morals and seems to have regarded sex as a natural phenomenon to be enjoyed with few inhibitions.
[33] In the samurai class, it was customary for a boy in the wakashū age category to undergo training in the martial arts by apprenticing to a more experienced adult man.
[35] Confucian thought and the government's desire to appear "civilized" influenced the way that homosexuality was viewed by both the Japanese state and by the population at large during the Meiji period.
[35] Despite recent trends that suggest a new level of tolerance, as well as open scenes in more cosmopolitan cities (such as Tokyo and Osaka), Japanese gay men and lesbian women often conceal their sexuality, and many marry persons of the opposite sex to avoid discrimination.
[36] Japan has no laws against homosexual activity and has some legal protections for gay individuals, but the Japanese government does not recognize same-sex marriage.
[38] In 1992, the government of Japan justified its continued refusal to allow oral contraceptives to be distributed in the country on the belief that it would lead to reduced condom use and increased transmission of AIDS.
[41] Because Japan has one of the lowest birth rates in the world and its population is on course to shrink dramatically by the middle of the century, every five years the government carries out a detailed survey of attitudes to sex and marriage.
About 1 in 5 couples say they simply view sex as a nuisance, a small number cite the lack of private space, because elderly or the children often sleep on just the other side of paper-thin walls.
[44] The motivations behind the studies are also questionable since they are linked to government attempts to justify the funding of programs for arranged marriage partners.
[46] This, combined with young men's growing reliance on pornography, can be thought to have a large impact on the real-world sex interest due to its “overstimulating” effect.
