Things Okay in Japan but Illegal Around the World
Summary
TLDRThis video explores surprising Japanese laws that are legal in Japan but illegal globally. It highlights Japan's low age of consent at 13, the legality of marrying first cousins since 1898, and the unique defamation law allowing suits even if the damaging statements are true. The video also touches on the controversial legality of whale and dolphin hunting, and the consumption of certain marine animals. Additionally, it mentions the relative laxity in cigarette regulations, such as buying cigarettes from vending machines and smoking in certain indoor spaces. The video serves as an intriguing insight into Japanese legal peculiarities, sparking debate and curiosity.
Takeaways
- 🇯🇵 The legal age of consent in Japan is 13 years old, which is one of the lowest in the world and has been unchanged since 1907.
- 🧍♂️ It is legal in Japan to marry your first cousin, a practice dating back to the Meiji period and still common with a specific term 'Itokokon'.
- 🐋 Hunting whales and dolphins, as well as eating seal and sea lion, is legal in Japan, despite being illegal in many parts of the world.
- 🚬 In Japan, it is still legal to buy cigarettes from vending machines and smoke in certain indoor spaces, such as hotel rooms and some restaurants and bars.
- 🦈 Eating shark fin is legal in Japan, and it is considered a delicacy that is commonly found in Chinese restaurants.
- 📖 Defamation law in Japan allows individuals to sue for damage to their honor, even if the damaging statements are true.
- 🤝 The criteria for defamation in Japan include the statement being false, causing damage, and being communicated to a third party.
- 👥 There are exceptions to defamation laws in Japan, such as stating facts about public interest or whistleblowing to expose company fraud.
- 💼 There have been real cases in Japan where people have successfully sued for defamation, even when the damaging statements were true.
- 🎁 The video features a sponsored shout-out to Bokksu, a service providing a gourmet experience of Japanese snacks and tea.
- 📺 The video aims to inform and entertain, not to encourage any of the actions mentioned, and is not intended as legal advice.
Q & A
What is the legal age of consent in Japan and why is it significant?
-The legal age of consent in Japan is 13 years old, which is one of the lowest in the world. It signifies the minimum age at which a person is considered capable of giving consent to sexual acts. This law has been part of the Japan penal code since 1907 and has not changed for over a hundred years.
Is it legal to marry your first cousin in Japan and what is the historical background of this law?
-Yes, it is legal to marry your first cousin in Japan. This law dates back to the Meiji period in 1898. The reason behind this law was to allow families to keep their wealth within the family.
What is the term used in Japan for marrying one's first cousin and are there any notable examples?
-The term used in Japan for marrying one's first cousin is 'Itokokon'. Notable examples include Japan's 56th Prime Minister, who was married to his first cousin, and two subsequent Prime Ministers who also married their first cousins.
How does Japan's defamation law differ from the understanding of defamation in the U.S.?
-In Japan, you can sue someone for defamation even if the statements are true, as long as they damage your honor or public image. This differs from the U.S. where defamation typically requires false statements that are damaging to a person's reputation.
What are the main criteria for defamation in Japan?
-The main criteria for defamation in Japan include: the statement must be false, it must be communicated to a third party, and it must cause damage to the honor of the person or company.
Can you provide examples of defamation cases in Japan mentioned in the script?
-Two examples are given: Case 1 involves a person who sued a third party for posting about their affair on social media, resulting in a 100,000 yen award. Case 2 involves a magazine publishing an anonymous report about a quasi-rape incident, where the subject was awarded 4.4 million yen despite the incident being true and the subject being anonymous.
Why is it legal to hunt whales and dolphins in Japan?
-Hunting whales and dolphins, as well as eating seal and sea lion, is legal in Japan as it is part of the diet for some Japanese people. It is easily found in shops and restaurants, and is also available online.
What is the situation regarding the consumption of shark meat in Japan?
-The consumption of shark meat is legal in Japan and is probably more commonly eaten than whale or dolphin meat. It is considered a delicacy and is often found in Chinese restaurants throughout the country.
What are some of the legal activities related to cigarettes in Japan that may not be legal in other parts of the world?
-In Japan, it is still legal to buy cigarettes from vending machines with a Taspo photo ID card, and to smoke in certain indoor areas such as hotel rooms, cigar bars, and some small restaurants and bars that were open before April 2020.
How has Japan's approach to smoking in indoor public places evolved over the years?
-Japan has come a long way from a few years ago when smoking was allowed almost everywhere indoors. As of 2020, most indoor smoking has been prohibited, but there are still exceptions for certain establishments.
What is the purpose of the video and what type of content does the creator provide?
-The purpose of the video is to inform and entertain by highlighting laws in Japan that are legal there but illegal in the rest of the world. The creator provides content related to Japanese culture, laws, and travel advice.
Outlines
😮 Shocking Japanese Laws Legal Abroad
The video script discusses laws in Japan that are legal there but illegal in many other parts of the world. It starts by mentioning the legal age of consent in Japan, which is 13 years old, one of the lowest globally. This law has been part of the Japan penal code since 1907 and leaves some ambiguity for specific cases. The script also touches on the legality of marrying one's first cousin in Japan, a practice dating back to the Meiji period in 1898, with several notable figures, including past Prime Ministers, having done so. Another surprising law is Japan's defamation statute, which allows individuals to sue for damage to their honor, even if the defamatory statements are true. The criteria for defamation in Japan are explained, and two real-life cases are cited to illustrate how the law is applied. The video also addresses the legality of hunting whales and dolphins, and eating seal and sea lion, which, while part of the diet for some, is not commonly consumed by most Japanese. Lastly, the script points out that, despite increasing restrictions, Japan still allows the purchase of cigarettes from vending machines and some indoor smoking in certain establishments that were open before April 2020.
🐋 Legality of Whaling and Cigarette Use in Japan
Continuing from the previous paragraph, the script delves into the controversial topic of whaling in Japan, which remains legal despite international criticism. It mentions that while hunting whales and dolphins is legal, it is not a regular part of most Japanese diets, and the same applies to the consumption of seal and sea lion. The script also notes that shark fin, a more commonly eaten and accepted delicacy in Japan, is also legal and can be found on menus, particularly in Chinese restaurants. The video then shifts to discuss the legal aspects of cigarette use in Japan. It highlights that, unlike many countries with strict anti-smoking laws, Japan still permits the purchase of cigarettes from vending machines for those with a Taspo photo ID card and of legal age. Additionally, it points out that indoor smoking is still allowed in certain hotel rooms, cigar bars, and some small restaurants and bars that were established before April 2020. The script concludes by acknowledging the progress Japan has made in recent years regarding smoking regulations, but also suggests that there is still room for improvement.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Age of Consent
💡First Cousin Marriage
💡Defamation
💡Honor
💡Whaling
💡Cigarettes
💡Taspo Photo ID Card
💡Indoor Smoking
💡Cigar Bars
💡Shark Fin
💡International Whaling Commission
Highlights
The legal age of consent in Japan is 13 years old, which is one of the lowest in the world.
Japan's age of consent has remained unchanged since 1907, with some gray areas for specific cases.
Marrying your first cousin is legal in Japan, dating back to the Meiji period in 1898.
The term 'Itokokon' is used in Japan to refer to marrying one's first cousin, which has been common among the Japanese elite.
In Japan, defamation laws protect individuals' honor, even if the damaging statements are true.
Three criteria define defamation in Japan: false statements, public dissemination, and damage to honor.
Statements about affairs, even if true, can be considered defamation if they harm an individual's honor.
Online defamation is also recognized in Japan if it meets the three criteria of traditional defamation.
Whale and dolphin hunting, as well as eating seal and sea lion, is legal in Japan.
Despite being legal, most Japanese people do not regularly consume whale, dolphin, seal, or sea lion meat.
Eating shark is legal and more common in Japan, often found in Chinese restaurants.
Japan has been slow to implement strict anti-smoking laws compared to other parts of the world.
Cigarette vending machines are still legal in Japan, requiring a Taspo photo ID card and proof of age.
Indoor smoking is mostly prohibited, but exceptions exist for certain establishments open before April 2020.
Japan has made progress in restricting indoor smoking in recent years.
Transcripts
These are shocking laws that are okay in Japan
but illegal around the world
[ Intro Music]
So I've made videos before on things
that you can't do in Japan because of Japanese law
or unknown laws here in
Japan that could get you arrested
But this time I wanted to switch things up
and show you guys some laws here in
Japan that are actually legal but are
illegal in the rest of the world
Many think that Japan is a very strict
country and rightfully so but when you
hear some of these Japanese laws you may
be scratching your head and to be clear
from the start I don't recommend doing any of these things
I'm not providing
legal advice and this is for
entertainment only but like always
before I start if you want to see what
I'm doing on the daily check out my
Instagram account if you guys want to
help support the channel then check out
my Japan merch and if you have any
questions about Japan or your Japan travels
check out my Discord community
Oh and let me know in the comments
How these laws compare to your country
and if you agree or disagree with any of them
alright let's do this
This one is a much debated topic in Japan today
But the legal age of consent is 13 years old in Japan
and one of the lowest in the world
age of consent referring to the minimum
age at which a person is considered to
be capable of giving consent to sexual acts
In fact this has been part of the
Japan penal code since 1907
more than a hundred years without change
While at the same time
leaving some gray area for specific cases
At the end of the day though the
national age of consent in Japan is 13 years old
On somewhat of a lighter note
it's legal in Japan to marry your first cousin
Like many of these laws in the video
it may be legal in some countries or if you're
from the U.S. in your state but the truth is
in other parts of the world marrying
your first cousin is still against the law
So I thought this one was worth mentioning
This law dates all the way
back to Japan's Meiji period
when it was passed in 1898.
It's common enough in Japan that there's a word for it
Itokokon
In fact, there have been many famous
and well-known people in Japan
who have married their first cousin
For example Japan's 56th Prime Minister
who's the grandfather of Japan's more recent Prime Minister
Abe was married to his first cousin
There were even two Prime Minister's
after him who were also
married to their first cousin
One of the reasons for this law was to allow
families to keep their wealth within their family
Unfortunately for those living in Japan today
who also want to legally spend the rest of their life
with their first cousin
Japan is all for it
So this is an interesting one
In Japan, you can sue someone for defamation
if they damage your honor a.k.a public image
Even if the statements are true
This one kind of blew my mind since I'm from the U.S
and we understand defamation to be
But in japan
hurting someone's honor or even hurting
a company's honor is protected by law
Despite the statements being true
I should note though that many laws in Japan
leave a lot of gray area
But the main three criteria for defamation in Japan is
So for example telling your
co-workers or the public that your
married boss is having an affair with
someone even though it's completely true
is considered defamation in Japan
Even online statements if the three
previously mentioned criteria are met
can be considered defamation there are
exceptions though such that you're
stating facts about public interest or
you're a whistleblower to expose company fraud
But at the end of the day the
Japanese law is to protect individuals
and companies from malicious actors that
intend to do their honor or image
harm
Here were two examples that actually happened in Japan
Case 1 - In 2018
a person was having an affair and it was
posted on social media by a third party
although the affair was happening
the person sued the third party for defamation
The Tokyo district court
judged for the plaintiff and was awarded
a 100,000 yen about $820 today
Case 2 - A Quasi-Rape incident occurred in an event circle
A magazine published an anonymous report
about the incident without giving the
subject's real name
In this case
although the incident happened and the
subject was anonymous in the report
The court still awarded for the subject as
it was judged that the subject could be
identified by judging the totality of
the circumstances and received a total
of 4.4 million yen for defamation damages
about $36,000
May be not necessarily illegal around the world
but I thought this one was worth mentioning
So yeah if you're in Japan
and someone's talking that you don't like
You may be able to do something about it
Before I continue on I want to give a quick
shout out to my regular sponsor BOKKSU
If you all don't already know Bokksu
provide a gourmet experience of Japanese
snacks and tea pairings delivered to
your front door they work with
traditional Japanese factories some over
100 years old to provide you with
authentic japanese flavors and each
monthly box has its own unique theme so
you get new snacks each and every time
first time users will get a seasons of
Japan box and after that you'll get a
theme box like this one these boxes are
so awesome you get this nice booklet
that takes you through each snack as
well as extra information about Japan
and Japanese culture you get 10 to 25
snacks in your box depending on the
package you choose and they're all
hand-picked from all over Japan to
deliver you unique and local japanese
flavors so get $15 off your own authentic
Japanese subscription snack box from
Bokksu by using my code PAOLO15 and link in the description
Now this one is quite a sensitive topic for many people
So I'm gonna try to tread lightly
In Japan hunting whale and dolphins as well as
eating seal and sea lion is completely legal
although it's part of the diet for
some Japanese it's probably safe to say
that most don't eat it regularly
Yet it's still easily found in shops and some restaurants
Even a quick search on Amazon
will yield results for some of these animals
On the other hand shark been also legal to eat in Japan
Probably more commonly eaten and I think it's
fair to say that many Japanese consider
it a delicious food as it's easily found on menus
Probably most commonly found in
Chinese restaurants throughout Japan
But since it's such an expensive delicacy here
Japanese probably won't be eating it regularly
In regards to whaling specifically
Joji Morishita who negotiated
Japan's withdrawal from the
International whaling commission said
Whether you agree with any of this or not
The simple fact is at this time it's legal to eat
these foods here in Japan
So these days
we all pretty much know that cigarettes
are not that good for you
Many places around the
world have laws protecting citizens
including children from cigarettes and
second-hand smoke
But Japan although not there yet is slowly catching up
There are still things that you can do legally
here in Japan when it comes to
cigarettes that aren't necessarily legal
in other parts of the world
In Japan you can still buy cigarettes
from vending machines and granted you have a Taspo photo ID card
and you are of age
Also, although most indoor smoking as of 2020
has been prohibited you can still smoke
in hotel rooms, cigar bars and even some
small size restaurants and bars
that were open before April 2020
I don't know though I feel like there's still a
lot of restaurants and bars
all throughout Japan that were open before 2020
Either way Japan has come a long
way from where it was just a few years ago
when wherever you went indoors
you can pretty much smoke inside
Anyways, those are things that you can legally do in Japan
that may be illegal in other parts of the world
If you guys like this video like always help me out and hit
that like button if you guys want to see
more videos like this or anything related to Japan
Hit that subscribe button and the bell button
and I'll catch you guys in the next one
Посмотреть больше похожих видео
Gaming-Keys - Computerspiele zum Superpreis - ist das legal? | Rechtsanwalt Christian Solmecke
Can I Put a Camera in My Loved One's Nursing Home? presented by Brown & Barron Law
Learn Japanese Grammar in 25 Minutes - ALL the Basics You Need
The "SmartSchoolBoy9" Situation Is Getting Worse...
Perfume Vending Machine Business: The Next Big Thing?
Japan : Tradition & Culture
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)