Japan Panel May Call for Regulating Acts to Solicit Prostitutes

Tokyo, Aug. 24 (Jiji Press)--Members of an expert panel of Japan's Justice Ministry have broadly shared the view that certain regulations should be introduced for acts of soliciting prostitutes, currently not subject to punishment under the antiprostitution law.

This was included in a draft of a report presented to Monday's meeting of the panel discussing regulations concerning prostitution. The draft was prepared by Waseda University professor Kayoko Kitagawa, chair of the panel.

Under the current law, acts related to selling sex, such as soliciting customers in public places, could be punishable with up to six months in prison or up to 20,000 yen in fine.

According to the draft, many members of the panel argued in its meetings held so far that the current situation in which people seeking to buy sex are not punishable lacks balance, and agreed that some sort of regulations are necessary.

Among acts that could be potentially subject to punishment is roaming around the street for the purpose of looking for prostitutes, the draft says. But it also took note of an opinion that it would be difficult to tell with objective action if such behavior is intended to seek prostitutes.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]