Japan raises the age of sexual consent to 16 from 13, which was among the world’s lowest

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s parliament has raised the age of sexual consent to 16 from 13, a limit which had remained unchanged for more than a century and was among the world’s lowest, amid calls for greater protection of children and women. The revision was part of a revamping of laws related to sex crimes. Parliament separately passed a new law to increase awareness of LGBTQ+ issues which activists criticized for not guaranteeing equal rights for sexual minorities. Japan in 2017 revised its criminal code on sexual crimes for the first time in 110 years. A series of acquittals in cases of sexual abuse and growing instances of sexual images taken of girls and women without their consent have triggered public outrage, prompting the new revisions.