The Japanese Communist Party is gearing up to lodge a formal complaint with the United Nations concerning the persistent portrayal of “sexy” women in Japanese magazines and manga.
The party’s recent political move was initially disclosed on March 18th by Misato Nakayama, a user on the Japanese open blog website Togetter.
I scanned the QR code published in the Shimbun Akahata newspaper and took a look at the survey being conducted by the New Japan Women’s Association.
It seemed that they were conducting a survey about these magazines.
Regarding the question, “Were there any magazines that caught your attention, such as adult magazines, available in stores?” I answered that there were none and submitted the survey.
The survey includes questions about whether convenience stores stock adult magazines, with many titles listed for selection. These include manga magazines catering to both younger (shonen) and older (seinen) male demographics, which of course to nobody’s surprise are rife with fanservice.
The latter category often features photoshoots of real-world female models. Some of the magazines listed in the survey include Akita Shoten’s Weekly Shōnen Champion, Shueisha’s Weekly Young Jump, and Hakusensha’s Young Animal, which is notable as the primary magazine for the late Kentaro Miura’s Berserk.
This survey aims to serve one purpose, to help the Japanese Communist Party not only abolish freedom of expression, creativity and fun for the people of Japan but to lodge a formal complaint with the United Nations regarding the continued allowance of ‘sexy’ female depictions in media.
The United Nations is known for its disdain towards Anime, Manga, and similar forms of media. Similarly, many prominent Western feminists argue that such material is inherently “pedophilic.” In the past, the United Nations pressured Japan to adhere to Western standards by banning what they deemed as illicit “child pornographic” material.
However, it’s often the case that those who vocally demand censorship of certain material have skeletons in their own closets. For instance, Peter Newell, a former prominent children’s rights activist who had previously worked with UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund), was arrested for molesting a young boy.
https://www.jcp.or.jp/jcp_with_you/2021/10/post-49.html
The Japanese Communist Party once had a nuanced stance on freedom of expression. While they strongly condemn child pornography as a heinous form of exploitation and abuse of children, they previously opposed using legal restrictions on manga, anime, and similar media under the pretext of combating child pornography.
They advocate for a change in the definition of child pornography to “depictions of child sexual abuse and exploitation,” but emphasize that this should not lead to legal restrictions on creative works like anime and manga.
Their position in other words was a balance between protecting children from exploitation while safeguarding freedom of expression in creative mediums, but a lot can change in a few years.
In November 2022, Shimbun Akahata featured an essay authored by a member of the Japanese Communist Party, expressing strong criticism of what they perceived as excessive sexiness and “gender stereotypes” that’s supposedly prevalent in the Dragon Quest series.
The essay targeted concerns about the depiction of female characters in the game. It seemed to suggest that the portrayal of attractive women was considered heresy or they’re allergic to a bit of “puff-puff.” However, it’s worth noting that Dragon Quest includes a diverse range of female characters who play significant roles in combat and other aspects of the game, so any cries of lack of representation goes right out the window there.
This highlights a common strategy employed by communists to undermine societal norms and values, often by attacking masculinity. It’s crucial to scrutinize the funding sources of communist parties and feminist groups, particularly if they receive support from international entities or governments.
As many rely on financial backing, it’s important to assess their motivations and agendas.
In contemporary society, there’s a notable influence exerted by those seeking to control perspectives and freedoms. This is evident in Japan, where a majority of citizens feel their country is in decline, partly due to the influx of external influences like LGBT activism, strangely enough with signs written in English alongside increased diversity, and pleas for more refugees. These changes are accompanied by rising crime rates.
Moreover, Japanese companies operating on a global scale are adopting Western ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) policies and values, such as game developers who integrate diverse themes and remove traditionally attractive female characters from their products.
This shift reflects broader trends towards inclusivity and social responsibility but may also ensure the erasure of Japan’s cultural elements.
