Japan raises age of consent from 13 to 16 years old

By AFP
June 17, 2023

TOKYO: Japan´s age of consent was raised from 13, among the world´s lowest, to 16 years old on Friday as lawmakers passed key reforms to sex crime legislation.

The reforms, which also clarify rape prosecution requirements and criminalise voyeurism, cleared parliament´s upper house in a unanimous vote. Campaigners welcomed the reforms, with the Tokyo-based group Human Rights Now calling them “a big step forward”.