“1 in 500 Japanese Women Have Appeared in Porn”

As many as 1 in 500 Japanese women have appeared in pornographic movies, it is claimed.

The claim, originally published in a Japanese magazine, is based on the observation that Japan publishes well over 10,000 adult videos annually, from which is derived a population of 100,000 or more women who have at one time performed. Some 9% of these are also thought to be casual rather than professional performers.

The former editor of a gravure rag, with experience of photographing over 400 women, is quoted in support of all this – “I get the impression women really like being photographed nude […] on the surface they may be embarrassed but I never saw one who didn’t like it.”

Accounts from actual performers are more mixed.

Korean media covering the story reports hopeful Koreans commenting that “Japanese culture is really messed up” and “if you ask 100 Japanese women for sex, 1 is bound to agree.” Of course, Koreans are in no position to criticise their neighbours, and in any case it appears a lot more than 1 would agree if asked nicely enough.

Since the group of women appearing in such films changes each year (especially with the maximum career length of a porn star being quite short), the “1 in 500” figure might actually understate matters significantly.

Add to this the widespread suspicion that a large number of Japanese women either work as prostitutes or engage in informal “enjo kousai” prostitution relationships in school, college or otherwise, and it would appear the doubts about the moral character of Japanese women often voiced in neighbouring countries (to say nothing of in Japan) are not entirely without merit.