Japan Raises Age of Consent to 16 in Overhaul of Century-Old Sex Crime Laws

Japan Raises Age of Consent to 16 in Overhaul of Century-Old Sex Crime Laws
The Japanese flag flies in a park in Osaka, Japan, on Oct. 30, 2018. Thomas White/Reuters
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Japan’s parliament on Friday passed new legislation that redefines nonconsensual sex as rape and raises the age of sexual consent from 13 to 16 in a major revamp of the country’s century-old sex crime laws.

The new laws outline eight acts that constitute a victim’s lack of sexual consent, including being assaulted while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or being intimidated by the perpetrator, Kyodo News reported.
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