Even Japanese porn is legally required to pixilate the genitalia if it’s to be sold in Japan. I’m not defending the religious taboo, only pointing out that it isn’t based on what a Western observer might assume from his or her own experiences of cultural representations of genitalia being inextricably tied to prurient interests and concerns. In some cultures, rather than repress representations of the genitalia as Christianity and Islam have done, the visible sex organs are revered and even worshiped. This is a very poor analogy, but imagine the outcry that would result if American pornographers depicted Christ getting fellated on the cross. Now I do and would support the right of that pornographer to show it, and would vehemently oppose any obscenity law forbidding him or her from doing so. But I wouldn’t assume that the religious people opposed to it would be hypocrites for viewing pornography that doesn’t show Christ being fellated on the cross.
This law and this conviction are oppressive and contrary to universal human rights, but I do not believe they are hypocritical because of what else Japanese culture embraces. Just my opinion.
