Minori: “We’re Banning You For Your Own Good!”
- Categories: Games, News
- Date: Jun 26, 2009 07:54 JST
- Tags: Censorship, Eroge, Feminism, Gaikokujin, Internet, Minori, Politics, Sites
The recent decision by Japanese eroge studio Minori to close off its site to the outside world under the pretense of “defending our culture” has been clarified with a fuller explanation, which can be read below:
The original notice of barbarian exclusion:
minori official website.
This website cannot be browsed excluding Japan.Some foreigners seem to be having an antipathy against EROGE.
Therefore, We prohibited the access from foreign countries, to defend our culture.
Sorry for you of the fan that lives in a foreign country.minori Inc.
To which has been added some carping about how Japanese couldn’t possibly oppose their own politicians, and need foreigners to do it for them:
Why minori blocking foreign accesses?
We are little perplexing now because we received a lot of response about this issue from foreign people.
Now we will tell you the short detail about the reason why blocking you to this website, because of we, all Japanese EROGE makers were facing at the problem, the crisis of “Freedom of speech”.
Currently, The bill that allows to limiting the content (It is censorship. Isn’t it?) to all EROGEs is being discussed in the Diet because intellectuals and politicians said “Japanese EROGE were being problem and troubled with the foreign country. Therefore we should make EROGE hidden away from foreign country, and also its content should be limited and censored”.
Okay, now we trusted the word what they said at once. So we blocked you to make stay away from the trouble.
…Do you like that?
If not, please tell your idea directly to Japanese government and politicians.
(For example, you can write the letter to the administration of Japan directly from here.)
(If you can comprehend Japanese…There is information of the politicians in Japan.)Otherwise, you just can talk your idea about this issue at your blog or other media to inform the existance of this problem to the public. It would be very helpful for us.
If you do so, we might be able to recover the “Freedom of speech” and the barricade lying in between us would be taken away.
Please help us.
We hope this separation would be only for short moment.
Sincerely.
Of course, it is rather naïve to think that Japanese politicians, particularly the ardently feminist ones, are doing anything but seizing upon convenient foreign outcry in order to use it as a rhetorical appeal, so as to push their own agenda of censorship, and even more naïve to think that they will take any notice of non-voting foreigners when even their own constituents fail to oppose them.
If foreigners have such power over Japan, it seems strange endless foreign histrionics about the evils of whaling have failed to get it banned…
It also seems improbable that the Japanese mass media will be interested in “foreign anime fan outcry over Japanese censorship,” when it can instead manufacture the sensational outcry against “rape games in our shops!”
The reaction against the move internationally has been less than positive, but predictably the online reaction in Japan has been delightedly xenophobic: we hear almost unanimously that “This can’t be helped”, “Damn foreigners are attacking our culture!”, “They are all just dirty pirates anyway!”, and “All eroge makers should ban foreigners!”
Many joyously call for “eroge sakoku”, sakoku, “closed country”, being the term for the long centuries of isolation the nation endured due to Shogunate paranoia about foreign influences.
Any suggestion that responsibility for these outrageous restrictions on freedom of expression lie with wicked foreigners is of course facile scapegoating, as any reference to the following three facts will attest:
•The mass media reports condemning eroge all originated in Japan, with the overseas reaction barely registering.
•The politicians calling for bans are all Japanese, and come from all three major parties.
•The eroge industry body, the EOCS, made no protest whatsoever and then censored a vast variety of material which was never even mentioned by domestic or international media.
It seems many Japanese being subjected to this oppressive ban would rather blame foreigners than actually make any effort to oppose the ban themselves, a position which it is hard to be sympathetic to.
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write the PM of japan maybe he will listen
For all intents and purposes, that explanation of theirs is not only naive but rather hilarious and of course sad; putting aside the engrish issue.
Hilarity aside, the Japanese always have disliked foreigners, haven't they? It must be in their blood by now.
And kudos for that Kagami picture header, it looks awesome :P
Disregard that reply I just made; got multiple tabs open ^^
I understand why they'd be cautious and block of the site, remember it was because of some shit head journalists with nothing better to write about that stumbled upon rapelay and caused this nonsense.
Yeah I just sent the prime minister of Japan the first political e-mail of my life and it basically said "Don't ban lolita and eroge, protect freedom of speech for Japanese people"
I suggest you faggots do the same. If at least it'll show that not everyone overseas are sucking the feminist's cock.
what's his email?
Fuck. Can't japanese otaku find the balls to even defend their OWN beloved medium? It's pathetic.
Part of their culture is to be "normal", to not stand out. They normally don't stand up and voice their opinions as much as the US does. They would have to band together before they would say something against this because of the stigma of watching porn and what they would likely view as pedophilia. I see it in the group of Japanese I hang out with.
We originally FORCED the censorship we are used seeing to on them as terms of surrender for WW2. Now we are screwing them up again.
freedom of speech works as long as you're just voicing out what you think, once you start telling other people what to do it becomes tyranny. that said, people keep shoving tyrannical doctrines on how to live our lives in the name of liberty. how is that freedom?
That doesn't have to do with freedom of speech. Freedom of speech means you have a right to say what you want to say. It doesn't mean anyone has to listen to you or do what you say. Freedom of speech also allows people being told what to do to tell that person to stfu. It all should work out perfectly fine, if you ask me.
Homosexuallity is a preference. Hating this preference is discrimination. Does that mean hating feminists is discrimination? Just a thought...
Homosexuality is a sexual preference, one that is argued to be intrinsic to the being of the person and cannot be changed willingly (so they say).
Feminism is more along the lines of a political alignment. It is not something you are born into being, but are logically convinced is something of being right. You may be swayed into various degrees of this feminism, sex-positive, radicalism, (others).
By discrimination, I thought you meant something that can be described as an unlawful negative attitude towards such people. As such, in the U.S. you cannot discriminate on sexual preference, but I don't believe the same applies to feminism preferences. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discrimination#Employment_discrimination)
I could be wrong, as I only glanced at the wiki.
Anyway, even if it's wrong and stupid for them to block foreign access, we still should use of our "international pressure" to help them (and by extense, ourselves).
Also:
- Stop blaming the feminists for this. It is illogical. Sex-negative feminists may have been used as pretext, but we should blame the weak Japanese otaku, and the Japanese media + Japanese politicians.
- Stop calling Minori racist. Their actions weren't motivated by prejudice against a race. Learn the word you want to use, before using it.
- Stop calling the Japanese people racist if you have never lived there.
- Stop assuming every country lives with the notions of race.
- Stop insulting the Japanese people and all feminists just because of your illogical hate. Direct it at sex-negative radical feminists and Japanese politicians.
- Stop with all the hate. It is weak to be controlled by such emotions to the point of not being able to have common sense and think logically.
- DO something. The blame is really on ourselves for not doing anything besides complaining illogically.
- Send e-mails.
- BE POLITE. If you're going to e-mail Minori, Japanese politicians or Japanese people, be polite. You're just discrediting our cause for freedom of speech, otherwise.
Humbly, I think these are the best options, according to my common sense. Otherwise people posting in Sankaku just seem a bunch of mysoginist hooligans, ignorant rednecks, racist against the Japanese, etc.
Except for Item 1, I agree.
1) Feminists were definitely the people who ignited this latest little flap. There might be a substantial force already there anyway, but without them it won't have reached criticality, at least not this time, maybe never.
2) The "weak" otaku and politicians. Actually, if they are weak, a major reason is that we are all actually steeped into a certain amount of feminist propaganda when it comes to porn, into associating it as somehow wrong - even when there is no utilitarian substanitation for that concept. This makes it difficult for us to stand up.
Feminist: "Ban porn!"
You: "Free speech!"
Feminist: "Even for porn?"
You: "Uh" (you want to answer, but you are held back by that indoctrination. Even if you break your indoctrination, you are very conscious that everyone ELSE is indoctrinated similarly, and not many of them has thought about the issue enough to have a chance of breaking out. In their mind-controlled state, nothing you say will convince them and will only make you look bad, and quite frankly, porn isn't quite worth risking your social position for).
Feminist: "I win."
A major contribution to this whole indoctrination program, of course, is the entire feminism movement. So, are they really not to blame, either tactically or strategically, for our current dire straits?
Agreed.
Feh. Feminists. They are reactionaries, like Satanists. Without Christianity, Satanists are just a bunch of spoiled petulant children who don't want to take responsibility for doing what they want.
Feminism can't exist without reacting to what is perceived as a male chauvinist attitude. That is why it's hard to take it seriously. Feminism can't stand by itself. That is why it has to be invented by people in universities talking about "Mother Goddess" and all that bullshit.
So they come across patriarchal Japan and think they can "save" it in their bigoted manner by attacking the harmless hobbies of those who are more attracted to the dimensionally challenged.
It is inevitable when part of Group A does something, the whole of A gets somewhat implicated. Rapelay, for example, became all of the rape game genre, which in turn became all of eroge, which caused this farce. Similar process.
Given this, shouldn't those feminists that are not part of this segment then at least say something, even if only on blogs like this, to preserve their reputation?
One possible explanation for why not is that there are only covert and overt on this matter when it comes to feminists. How many feminists are willing to come out and actually say banning rape games is WRONG?
I love how people pretending to be intelligent don't realize there is not an unified single type of feminism, and that typical feminism aims for the equality of men and women and has always fought for valorous causes.
Generalizing "feminism" and feminists is pretty much the same as doing it with "politics". You just sound like an angry ignorant that way.
Feminism is not an unified single movement, it's simply a portmanteau for different ideological movements fighting for what they believe to be the best to women. It has nothing to do with female supremacy or censorship. It has nothing to do with a specific ideology/cause/objective/whatever. It's a word englobing various different movements.
I'm also not a native speaker, so I'm sorry if this all sound too pretentious while still having fugly grammatical errors.
did you just repeat two of those points in your list?
It does sound racist but your right.
japanese hate gaijins,
and hongkong-chinese hate the blue-eyed devils from europe
and thais hate farangs,
and americans hate all middle east
and middle east hate u.s.
and english hate netherlands and french
no one likes french
and ozzies hate asians
and this is an ape world full of limited minds
You're more ignorant than every prejudiced person on Earth if you believe in all what you wrote.
if you're going to take the time to say it all like that then you might as well just say that everyone hates everyone else. in fact everyone on earth is a misanthropist. Now doesn't that sound silly? And yet it's less sillier than what you said.
But I guess most people just like to take the easy route and generalize entire peoples.
People, Arte only selected a few comments from the Japanese public response, those aren't all of the comments! Not all Japanese hate foreigners.
+9000
Sorry we're gonna hack your site!
I find it cute that Sankaku seems very interested to hold foreigners innocent for this whole farce.
It is a bit like saying that any Soviet officer that had his division disbanded under CFE should blame solely Gorbachev (since he buckled to assymetrical reductions) and the Soviet people (especially those silly instituniks who argue for the reductions), and the West had no part to play in all that.
Strategically speaking, for a long time now, a very significant fraction of foreigners have been applying pressure against eroge.
What seems to be happening in Japan right up until recently is a balance of power between the "Protect the Children" (along w/ the "Let's buckle to the foreigners") clan and the "Freedom of Speech" clan (not many people high up want to admit they like eroge) means a maintenance of the Status Quo.
Thanks to a certain idiot Gaijin and a certain idiot Gaijin group, this delicate balance of power has been disrupted for a time. During this time, eroge was forced towards near extinction.
How are foreigners completely innocent of this? It may be a few foreigners, but as it turned out, they were the foreigners that counted...
Whaling is larger than eroge and has withstood the Western assaults so far. But it may also end in a similar way - some particularly grotesque pictures make it to the hands of Greenpeace. Greenpeace raises especially loud ruckus and it reaches Japan. If the Balance of Power is even enough, it is possible for such an event to destabilize things (at least briefly) and cause the end of whaling. Would foreigners then not be guilty for ending whaling in Japan?
EOCS, I say again. Blaming them for buckling without being in a position to fully envision the correlation of forces against them is a bit subjective, don't you think? If you see an army retreating at full speed, one generally presumes that a really strong (relatively) enemy is chasing them, not that they are running from nothing.
For asking us for help. Really, I'm sure they are doing what they figure they can on their fronts. They probably know we aren't worth very much, but if they are doing everything they can, what more can they do to increase the odds in their favor, even by 0.1%, but by asking us to write letters?
Yeah, that's something I don't understand. Whaling... regardless of what people say, the Japanese like their whale. And it seems that it ain't changing soon. (And I think Sea Shepherd is a pirate ship.)
So what about Eroge. I mean, this culture of shame is strangely present in a traditionally non-Judeo-Christian country. Whereas in the West, good lord. Good example is the state of California, mostly liberal and democrats, but they legislated a bill against same-sex marriage. Everyone went "huuuh??"
So Japan, land of Bukkake and Tentacle rape. Why so serious?
we can spam them =3
I think the real question right now should be:
WHERE THE FUCK DID THOSE FREE-SPEECH RIGHTS ACTIVISTS GO??
All captured and locked up by Equality Now's secret police force.
Damn them. Counter them with loli assassins, damn it!
The reason of the case have nothing but money, that's all
This is a time for superheroes.
I propose a campaign over censorship.
Particularly at "Works of Art" They must be censored to see how sad and silly a ban on freedom of expression is.
We should distribute pamphlets, Art books that have mosaics. Michelangelo's David must have mosaic censor.
Anatomy books must have mosaic censor.
In Akihabara, let there be a movement, a protest that has maids and otaku wearing black robes, ala Islamic Republic style. Let otaku dress up as moral police in Uyoku vans. Suppress all freedom of expression in the city. Sow discontent. Provoke the masses to action.
Replace images with words. Paint ancient statues black. Vandalize buddhist statues, Jizo- paint them all black.
Make Japan fear censorship becoming reality, invading their very culture.
Raid museums and burn all Shunga. Censor Hokusai and his kind. Close down love hotels.
This is the time for Otaku to prove themselves. Be like Otoya Yamaguchi. For crying out loud, Tsutomu Miyazaki or, even Tomohiro Kato. Those batshit crazy people is what Japan needs. How long with a country be apathetic to their freedoms being taken away?
Acts of terrorism is probably the only way to provoke reaction from an otherwise apathetic bourgeoisie with disposable income.
People in Iran risked being killed and some did die for their votes and freedom of expression. They make me proud.
What does Japan do, in comparison?
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
-Benjamin Franklin (1706–90)
"Shikata ga nai"
-Japan
Don't talk about going terrorist and then mention what happened in Iran in the next sentence. What the Iranians are doing is not terrorism, they're peacefully protesting and some are getting killed for it. I'm all for that. Dieing in the name of freedom is good, especially when you never harmed anyone trying to get that freedom. Such people are true martyrs, not like those terrorists and religious extremists. Any sort of cheap scare tactic doesn't work. You have to raise your voice until it's heard and understood by the opposition.
Sir, I am not sure if anyone has told you this. But you are freaking nut! No matter how badly you want to make your point, harming innocent people isn't the way to go. Not to mention atrocious acts will only reinforce the stereotype that otaku are the menace of society. I believe something non-violent would be better to serve our cause.
Think of it as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Paint otaku a certain way, will they? Destroy the reason to be, will they?? Some just want to be left alone. But noooo. They want to enjoy the last sanctuary they have from this craaaazy world of ours. But noooo. Someone has to trample this little imaginary land where one doesn't have to wake up and go to work and with that intense urge to slit someone's throat. That annoying superior who condescends. That coworker who does not care at all. Imagine. Who is to blame? Myself, or everyone? Either suicide, or anarchy. Kill oneself, or make someone bleed and jump with joy as they lay dying for all the imagined wrongs they have done. Which one gives a better chance of survival, if death is inescapable?
....This is probably a common sentiment that people tend to avoid. Not only in Japan, of course. Sometimes they lie to themselves that they don't want that to happen.
Are you fucking crazy to even joke about going all terrorist? Is the taliban and other muslim extremists getting anywhere with that? Have they gained anything? Yeah, I thought so. Look back on history and look at the ways that worked, for the sake of sane thought! I don't know why people are so quick to bring up wars as an answer instead of things like non-violence and what people like martin luther king and gandhi did and succeeded with.
I honestly don't know what we can do since we're on the shortest end of the stick no matter which way you put it. The way society is now, especially with all of the "pedophile" fears, if any one of us went to the public and told them what our interests are in any intelligent fashion we'd be hearing people calling for out deaths. Maybe we just need to wait for a more liberal and open government in Japan.
Feel free to love youself out of oppression.
To be fair to the Taliban and Muslim extremists, it wasn't like they were getting their views in by Peace either (leaving the validity of their views aside).
Are you compairing this Terrorism?
If the Japanese want to protest against this situation is up to them.If the Ero-Game Industry wants to fight for there rights they need to go out and take a chances talk to gamers who play there games and ask for there support.
stop talking about femimists like they're villians
its fucking embarassing
They are. ^_^
It means "Dear:foringer If you want to play Japanese adult game,you must nuke all feminatis of this planet."
*double facepalm
This really sucks, but if this issue receives more coverage it just sucks even more because mainstream societies of both West and Japan will react negatively to eroge. Even if every Western eroge fan sent letters of dissent it'll probably have little to no impact because we're not representing mainstream opinion in the West. So I don't know how this is going to go.
And I'm left to wonder how is it possible that supposedly serious companies won't have the decency of hiring or at least freelancing a competent translator. Engrish is funny in casual contexts. In serious communication looks just shameful.
Wat the hell is going on
its gone from loli-rape-bdsm-eroge-eechi-manga?
this is very bad for anyone associated with anime and manga as now we are being called women hating child molesting otakus, this could really turn into something huge if this continues, the ball is already rolling too fast, someone needs to stop it before it becomes an avalanche
Seems like a good thing. It seems anyone interested in anime and related become basement dwelling shut-in losers. Keep that in Japan. C:
I am free Otaku in Japan.
The following messages can be translated into English.
Please send assembly members mail after it translates into English.
現在、日本では児童ポルノの所持を禁止し、それとともにアニメや漫画、ゲームなどの創作物への規制が妥当かどうか検討する法案が審議されています。この法案は与党案と民主党案で大きな距たりがあるのが現状です。与党案ではアニメなど創作物規制や児童ポルノの単純所持規制がうたわれています。この法案の修正協議が日本の国会で日本時間の６日より始まる見込みです。
重要なポイントは「与党案にあるアニメなど創作物規制の研究条項に対する反対」「与党案にある単純所持禁止に対する反対」になるかと思います。そのポイントに絞って、冷静にメールを送るべきだと考えます。
まずは日本の民主党に、本件で妥協しないように伝えることが重要です。民主党内において、この児童ポルノ法の改定問題に関わり、主導権を握っているのは次の三名です。
細川律夫 （Hosokawa Ritsuo）
h04091@shugiin.go.jp
小宮山洋子 （Komiyama Yoko）
komiyama@t3.rim.or.jp
千葉景子 （Chiba Keiko）
http://www.keiko-chiba.com/
（ホームページの「お問い合わせ」という項目で意見を送ってください）
特に細川、小宮山の二人には強くメッセージを送って下さい。（参考：http://www.komiyama-yoko.gr.jp/komiyama.htm）
そして民主党全体に対しては、次の箇所からメッセージを送って下さい。
民主党
https://form.dpj.or.jp/contact/
またトンデモナイ法案を通そうとしている自民党・公明党に対しても反対の声を届けて下さい。
自民党
http://meyasu.jimin.or.jp/cgi-bin/jimin/meyasu-entry.cgi
公明党
https://www.komei.or.jp/contact/index.html
メールの書き方については、
自由民主党(自民党)やその議員を投書で動かすためには
http://madokatatsuya.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!62D9164E3AB7B024!727.entry
が全ての政党に対して非常に役立ちますので、ぜひ参考にして下さい。
Rough Translation:
---
At the moment in Japan there is a law in deliberation which in addition to banning the simple possession of child pornography is considering the validity of including fictional works such as anime, manga and games in that restriction. At present there is a great difference between the governing parties plan and the democratic parties plan. Under the governing parties plan restrictions on the simple possession of fictional works and child pornography is being stipulated. It is anticipated that the amendment conference for this law will take place in the Japanese National Diet from the 6th (Japan time).
I believe that the "Objection to the research clauses for the restriction of fictional works such as anime in the governing parties bill" "Objection to the ban on simple possession in the governing parties bill" will become important points. Focusing on these points I think that mails of a composed nature should be sent.
First of all,it is important to express to Japans democratic party not to compromise on this matter. Within the democratic party, the following 3 persons are involved in and have seized control off in regards to the child pornography law reform problems
細川律夫 （Hosokawa Ritsuo）
h04091@shugiin.go.jp
小宮山洋子 （Komiyama Yoko）
komiyama@t3.rim.or.jp
千葉景子 （Chiba Keiko）
http://www.keiko-chiba.com/
(Please send your opinions under the 「お問い合わせ」(otoiawase : enquiry) entry on the homepage)
Please send a strong message especially to Hosokawa and Komiyama.
特に細川、小宮山の二人には強くメッセージを送って下さい。（reference： http://www.komiyama-yoko.gr.jp/komiyama.htm）
Also towards the entirety of the democratic party, please send from this point.
Democratic Party:
https://form.dpj.or.jp/contact/
In addition, towards the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito whom are trying to pass such a preposterous law, please voice your opposition.
Liberal Democratic Party:
http://meyasu.jimin.or.jp/cgi-bin/jimin/meyasu-entry.cgi
New Koumeito:
https://www.komei.or.jp/contact/index.html
Regarding how to write your mail,
In order to influence the Liberal Democratic Party and members of the Diet via letter, the following link will be very useful towards all political parties, by all means please use it as a reference.
http://madokatatsuya.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!62D9164E3AB7B024!727.entry
---
Translators Note: Yet that reference page is in Japanese lol (anyway the minimum that needs to be included is as follows)
* Name, Address, Electoral district (this is important)
* Write clearing specifying in itemized form what the candidates / parliamentarians need to understand and do about the issue in order to get your vote.
* If possible attach some reference data.
* It may not necessarily have to be a handwritten letter however have common sense.
(In other words, as gaijins who do not hold any voting power in Japan, what our voice needs to represent is a synchronized front of logical reason which can be used as justification and vindication for the ban-opposition factions while placing the necessary pressure on the ban-approval factions called 'constitutionalism'.)
To those of you saying this has nothing to do with the minori's ban, ( ゜д゜)σ "Objection!"
This has everything to do with it, this is the starting point of real legal restrictions (not just some mere voluntary regulation by an ethics committee).
This. This is the tip of the iceberg.
"First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak out for me." -Martin Niemoller
Its a bit disappointing about the games but if my money isn't good enough for them then fuck'em. What they are saying about all forigners being a bad influence is nonsense and about the criminal thing. People are responsible for their own behaviour no matter what country your from so let people deal with the consequences themselves
STOP BEING A BUNCH OF HYPOCRITS.
You guys in the US started it, even if it's just a little minority of feminists.
So it's totally fair that they're asking YOU to solve the issue.
Shit, you guys bring trouble, and then japanese have to clean up your mess ? You guys are so fcking retarded. You guys are just good at pointing fingers at others.
*Moving to Japan after I finished learning Japanese*
this is lame.. you can access the site using a proxy server...
Well, I just sent a comment to the prime minister. Let's hope at least someone reads them and notes the variation in "international opinion".
If you have any trouble to play Japanese Eroge, make another Eroge which suits for you BY YOURSELVES!
ui already give them the letter lol
I am an EROGE fan in Japan.
I think minori's action is very regrettable and something insulting for foreigners.(even if they do not intends to do it)
But as some people pointed out that it was not caused by racism, but only for avoiding troubles (in Japanese word "KOTO-NAKARE-SHUGI"), that's right.
Actually, EROGE makers(also EROGE fans) are neither political activist nor liberal fighters, and they have to continue their business, so it is natual and rational for them to avoid more troubles...
In Japan, assosiations of EROGE makers(EOCS) decided to restrict violent expressions in their games. If our government restricts EROGE directory, our supreme court will judge it as a breach of constitution. But bureaucracy knows well, so they lead EOCS to do(add) self-regulations...
But EROGE-makers main concern is commercial success, and not small people needs them in Japan, so in any cases, EROGE makers will continue to provide violent EROGE with moderate titles and packages. This is one of Japanese ways to resist against government.
This time, EROGE makers spare nominal victory for feminists, it is most of our representative need. But no substantial retreat.
...Maybe it is not the best way to fight against Femi-Nazism. Sorry for all EROGE-fans in the world.
"•The mass media reports condemning eroge all originated in Japan, with the overseas reaction barely registering."
Why would they care? Sensationalism is what raises ratings. The general public require a target to label and bash as the cause for all of their societies problems so that they can continue to avert their gaze from the real issue. Minority groups (and foreigners) fit this position. It's called evasion of responsibility.
"•The politicians calling for bans are all Japanese, and come from all three major parties."
What you have failed to recognize are the anti-japanese elements moving behind the scenes under the guise of or in co-operation with NGOs which have their 'chess pieces' in the Diet. You make it sound like the 3 parties are all entirely for the ban and that foreign influence plays no part in the bans, yet were this the case then the simple possession ban for CP would have been passed years ago. The fact of the matter is that none of the parties are entirely for or against such banning and their members simply more often than not saving face (and grabbing votes) in the public and international eye by saying they support a ban. The reality is, without foreign pressure things would remain legally gray within Japan just like the loopholes surrounding Pachinko and Soaplands (regardless of gambling / prostitution laws). This is a matter of 'tatemae' and 'honne'.
"•The eroge industry body, the EOCS, made no protest whatsoever and then censored a vast variety of material which was never even mentioned by domestic or international media."
EOCS protected the majority of the industry by showing moves of self-regulation (just like the time is was formed, it exists to curb the industry from running into a legal ban from the government). They did what they had to in order to protect the industry as a whole. However in this case, the real culprits which pressured them into doing so were the retailers and illusion soft withdrawing the sale of rapelay. If the retailers won't sell the media in order to save face (giving the ban-positive-faction justification and conviction to their cause) then the ethics committee has no choice but to follow suit. If the retailers ignored media sensationalism and emphasized their place in Japans economy (notably supply, demand and the number of jobs the industry provides <- especially during a recession) the majority would close their mouths soon enough. But they did not. In the end this is a matter of the circulation of goods and $. Afterall, it is the retailers, corporations, and those with financial power that have the strongest influence on politics in a capitalistic society. (Especially because they can afford to stick it out in a court of law)
isn't Minori a town in Italy?
Hi all,
I'm Japanese. Please execuse for my poor English.
The purpose of this post is to complement Minori's statement that you have seen in their web site. I'm unfamiliar with Minori and their product because I'm not concerned about EROGE. I can tell you, however, tense political situation in Japan over erotic games, from the aspect of the issues about "Freedom of Expression."
The Child Pornography is prohibited in Japan by so-called "Child Pornography Ban Act." This law intend to ban pornography of "real-life" children such as photo and live-action movie, not the fictions (IMPORTANT).
And now, our politicians deliberate on an amendant of this law in the National Diet. The ruling parties are advocating as follows:
1. Introduce penalties for "simple possession" of child pornography.
2. Amend this law again, three years later, to ban MANGA, ANIME AND GAME including sexual depiction of children.
And they are saying as follows: "Japan is behind foreign countries that they tighten regulations for child pornography. We are slammed as "Japan is pedophile's paradice" by foreign people. We must fulfill our duties as a member of international community."
Yes. We must protect "real-life" children against sexual persecution from porn makers. I think, however, this amendment against "the fictions", such as manga, anime and game, has a critical problem because it violates "Freedom of Expression."
PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIEND about what is happening in Japan, and discuss it. Japanese politicians are sensitive about pressure from "the international community." Your voices may change this critical situation.
Thanks for your reading.
PS:
Recently, Ethics Organization of Computer Software, a guild of Japanese erotic game commercial developers, decided to impose self-regulate on most genre of their product. And few days ago, a manager of fanzine store(*1) in Akihabara is suddenly arrested by the police. THE SITUATION IS CRITICAL.
*1: Tachibana shoten (http://www.tachibanashoten.com/)
PS2:
This writing was originally posted on Kotaku.com 6 hours ago, but I post it on this site with some edit because Kotaku don't approve my post at present :)
Some people are concerned about "eroge sakoku," but you have no need to worry. The Japanese eroge will BECOME EXTINCT before its developers choose sakoku, if politicians pass the bill into law.
I read everyone's comment.
I'm very surprised that you all are well-acquainted with the situation in Japan. It may be that you know about Japan more than we know about our own country. Unfortunately, some xenophobic Japanese become withdrawn in their recognition what they want to see, hear and know.
And I would like to say that NOT all Japanese people are xenophobic. I think Minori purely want your help and don't have a xenophobic purpose. We simply "defend our culture" from the majority of Japanese, not the foreigners.
The otaku people in our country are overwhelmingly minority and always be under pressure from the majority (intellectuals, politicians, and "common" people). Some people are now opposing to censorship in the Diet but have a worse hand.
Actually, "outcry from foreign countries" is VERY effective in our country, except few case such as the whaling issue.
I'm fighting against censorship and want your help earnestly.
i support of this idea
damn cowards..
Fight for your own freedom damn it
don't make us fight for you..
After all Japan is self-blame, for all these bannings. And now they blame freigners for there own fault.
I guess they will start to care if hundreds of thousands of messages arrive.
Heck, if they started banning "because foreigners said so", they might understand from this that not all foreigner want it, and there is the other side who doesn't want it.
I sent mine, everyone else please do so (and in a polite manner).
*feminists
"…Do you like that?"
--of course not! that's not it!
"If not, please tell your idea directly to Japanese government and politicians.
(For example, you can write the letter to the administration of Japan directly from here.)
(If you can comprehend Japanese…There is information of the politicians in Japan.)"
--OK, but would they hear us? Our sentiments? argghhh! Taro Aso, please, heed our call! Lift the ban! :(
Lets not give the delusional Agnes Chan (inc. Seiko Noda & Komeito) ther way! They would probably opt for more ban, not only eroge & loli, if they get a chance. (http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/06/27/unicefs-agnes-chan-to-diet-loli-is-a-dangerous-weapon/)
Send in those letters. Censorship is dictatorship!
This is sad but I guess I understand that they are only protecting their interest but they should also blame their local authorities and local rag media
*ahem* FUCK politicians.
yeah, already sent mine to Taro Aso via that link minori gave. hope he hears us, he's an otaku too. argh!!!!!!! :D
If minori, for example, think they can do without their foreign customers, so be it.
If the producers and consumers think it's not worth standing up for their culture, as they call it themselves, to prevent it from being trampled on by other people, so be it.
If the Japanese want to shelter themselves away so nobody bothers them anymore, then so fucking be it.
But nobody will take a country like that seriously.
This isn't xenophobia, this is cowardice.
Animes , mangas , games , etc. and let's give them our support!!!
So, keep inviting e-mails to japanese politics!!!
I wrote to Minori after reading the previous post, and by the looks of this article, so did a lot of other people as well...
Might try this route too, I already sent my comment from the link in Minori's post.
And I urge others to do the same.
Not sure if it will have an effect of any kind, but at least we could say we tried.
This whole affair is a direct slap on the face of freedom of speech and artistic expression. I would even go as far as call it an installation of a "thought crime", and I don't think I would be too far off the mark as what we have here is victimless/imagination only elements prohibited...
Sony is behind this.
Sony boardmember A: "Oh darn, those pesky little PC software companies are taking gamer sales away from us through their low-tech eroge and bullethell doujinshi. We must do something about this, or we will continue to lose billions."
Sony boardmember B: "We must destroy them, then we will offer the only alternative."
Sony boardmember A: "Agreed. We must first create a plan to make all Japanese PC games look like they are for perverts."
Sony boardmember B: "Yeah, let's start our plan of action during summer of 2009. We shall see their demise soon enough by Winter."
Sony boardmember A: "Indeed. Then we shall offer the PS3 Slimline with substantial discount. Let's bundle it with Atelier Rorona, make sure to tell Gust to ramp up production."
Sony boardmember B: "We shall make a killing from the otaku market by offering the only legitimate loli offerings."
Just as planned...
The Death Note dramatic music started to play as I read this...
Minori would get more support if they removed the ban.
Like what ? 千万円 (10.000.000 Yen) ?
If you give them a lot of legal money, yeah, maybe they would change their mind and fight. But sorry, warm letters don't win against paycheck and the ability to pay your bills unless the company is crazy.
Frankly, if their product isn't on DLSite or some international export websites, their income from foreign sells must be almost nil. And since eroge/ero-doujinshi are often sold on local websites, chances are that those sells are almost nil.
In those cases pragmatic support is great. Cheers aren't. A stupid car analogy would be : Spectators of a car accident don't give any "support", even if they all pray for the safety of the passengers, they're useless.
use proxy and tell them that
I just did, and sent them an email.
I sorta felt that they would react like this. I mean I myself felt that it was mainly foreign influence that triggered all this....maybe it's in my japanese blood to think like that :P
Hmmmm, if somehow this turns out really bad and all ero-material made in Japan is banned for foreigners, I might move to Japan....
Yuzusoft followed minori's example and banned us dirty foreigners
Huh? Yuzu-soft still working here.
Doesn't work for me either. I was able to get through via japanese proxy instead.
It doesn't look good at the moment.
where did "dirty foreigners" come from that people seem to be using? I have read the statements a couple of times but can't find it. I see "some foreigners" but not the other.
OH SHI-
I feel so sad today.
One thing that disgusts me the most is other countries, associations, politicians, whatever you want to call it, to stick their noses in other countries business. It's not like they're inciting to war, committing crimes against humanity, if you don't like it don't buy it and stay away from it, don't go starting a "war" against it. I agree that this is clearly an attack against freedom of speech and the basics in which the internet was created, which was to distribute "free" data across the globe. If some other country started to do something similar to a product I developed because of no serious based reason I would most likely do the same and block my webpage to that country.
I still think that the blocking is justified - even beneficial to the cause - but the companies make a huge mistake by disregarding their true enemy, which is the moralists and radical feminists in their own country.
True, politicians and influential people within Japan didn't give a thought to their own citizens (the game companies), if they have given the feminzais a big "F U" and stated the violation of freedom of speech, maybe this wouldn't have happened, so blocking foreigners isn't the real issue.
King of PoP has died at age 50...
Shit was SO cash.
Isn't this racism?
How is this racist? Open your eyes and read. They're asking us the foreigners for help in joining the fight with them against the Japanese Government for taking away their freedom of speech and expression. They even gave us the direct links to join the fight.
Yea, but they are also blaming the foreigners for their current situation. It is not our fault any of this happened, yet we are the ones paying the price here.
I don't think we should help them until they lift the foreign ban.
THEY AREN'T SAYING BLACKS OR WHITES DID IT!
HOW CAN IT BE RACIST?!
FUCKING MORON, LEARN THE MEANING OF THE WORDS YOU USE.
By helping them we'll be helping ourselves. Not helping them as a response to the precautions they're having to take sounds like unnecessary and pointless revenge.
You think they're gonna oppose political parties taking advantage of the situation and the citizens who don't like eroge or anime and come out victorious?
Why does you foreigners always want to become victims?