Tokyo, Japan’s gubernatorial elections have started
in tumultuous fashion with perpetual candidate Kawai Yusuke joining
forces with pornographic actress Sakurai Miu to end nudity
censorship laws and promote the importance of freedom of expression. Kawai
Yusuke was seen alongside Sakurai Miu, the self-described “world’s most
adventurous gyaru,” putting up provocative campaign posters featuring the
nearly naked model.
The candidate’s white poster promotes
freedom of speech and advocates for an end to laws censoring nudity in Japan.
The black
poster, on the other hand, is essentially a Japanese meme questioning which is
truly crazy: her or the “unhinged society we live in.” Sakurai Miu
previously supported “Joker candidate” Kawai Yusuke when he dressed up as The
Mask to promote polygamy and fight Japan’s declining birthrate.
However, after receiving much backlash from the
public for using legal loopholes and mocking the election process, the
Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department issued a warning to Kawai for violating
Tokyo’s Public Nuisance Prevention Ordinance. In response, Kawai
Yusuke posted a new poster on his Twitter account, saying, “ Since I
can’t put up sexy Sakurai Miu posters anymore, I’ll put this one up instead. I
promise to turn Shibuya Ward into a ‘Special Cannabis Zone’! If I become
Governor, I will legalize cannabis and rename ‘Shibuya Ward’ to ‘Shabutani
Ward’! ”
Pornographic content in Japan is subject
to strict censorship laws, regulations that have their roots in public morality
and the regulation of obscene content. These laws are
backed by the Japanese Constitution, specifically Article 175 of the Penal
Code, which prohibits the distribution of obscene material. This law requires
that genitals be censored in visual media, which has led to the use of mosaics
and other pixelation methods in Japanese pornography.
In modern society, these censorship laws
have been the subject of debate. Some argue that these regulations are
outdated and do not reflect the evolution of social norms and the growing
acceptance of freedom of expression in other aspects of cultural and artistic
life. Furthermore, censorship could be considered an unnecessary
limitation in the digital age, where access to uncensored content is easily
available on the Internet, bypassing local restrictions.
On the other hand, proponents of censorship
argue that these laws protect public morality and prevent the exploitation and
objectification of bodies. They also stress that, in a society where
consumption of explicit content is high, these regulations help maintain a
standard of decency and social responsibility.
The case of Kawai Yusuke and Sakurai Miu
highlights this discussion, as they use their platform to
challenge established norms and advocate for a change in legislation they see
as restrictive. Their campaign not only seeks to remove censorship of nudity,
but also underscores broader issues about freedom of expression and personal
liberties in Japan.
Source: Hachima Kikou
