International Political Economy

Mieca Mae V. Nalasa March 17, 2018

FS301 Sir Jumel G. Estrañero

Japanese Demography: The Political Economy of Hentai Pornography, Dating Sim

Applications, and Japan’s Population Pyramid

Abstract
The purpose of this research is to discover how “Hentai” or Japanese animated
pornography and virtual reality dating applications affect Japanese people. With Japan’s rapid
technological advancements, there are Japanese companies innovating the future of dating
and sexual relationships. The study analyzes how these advancements in technology
contribute to the nation’s population crisis. The research also examines the political and
economic repercussions of Hentai pornography, dating simulation applications, and the
population pyramid of Japan. Furthermore, the study discusses the Japanese government’s
efforts to resolve the country’s population crisis. Basic Qualitative Research was utilised as a
research design for this study. Secondary sources, such as pertinent studies, journal articles,
and internet-based data have been assessed. After examining the assessment, the results
show that, the conservative and traditional culture of Japan is partly responsible for the buoyant
porn and technology industries. Japanese men and women turn to porn and dating sims
because cohabiting and having children outside marriage is very uncommon in Japan. The
virtual world can fuel one's longing for an intimate relationship or sex which results to the
sexless issues of men and women in Japan. The ageing society and slow growth of fertility rate
has inverted the once "Mt. Fuji-like" population pyramid of the country where the younger
generations are at its base while those who belong to the working age are at the top. The
population pyramid problem holds back the progress of the country’s economy as social
security expenditures for the elderly continues to take a large percentage of the national budget
which creates a huge budget deficit and increases national debt. The major problem lies on the
Japanese government’s prioritization of the senior citizens than of the younger generations. As
porn and dating sims can influence the perception of the Japanese people towards sex and
relationships, respectively, it has been the root cause of other interrelated issues such as the
disconnection of the people from the real world, sexless relationships, population crisis, and
scarcity of economic resources.

I. Introduction
Pornographic materials contain sexually explicit contents with erotic plots. It is found
virtually anywhere and people can easily have access to it as it is seen in different forms of
media such as, books, photos, magazines, television, and internet websites. It also has various
genres like hentai/cartoon porn, bondage/BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism, masochism),
anal, lesbian, gay, transexual and the like while its two main categories are softcore (erotic
setup) and hardcore (very explicit) pornography. The purpose of porn is to sexually arouse its
viewers and satisfy their carnal desires; once they get hooked, they’ll crave for more. It is no
surprise that it is one of the largest and most profitable industries in the world (Picone, 2018).1

1
Picone, Kiri. "The Biggest Industries In The World You Don't Think About." All That's Interesting.
January 22, 2018. Accessed March 06, 2018. http://allthatsinteresting.com/big-industries-you-dont-
think-about/3.
 Watching porn induces a feeling of pleasure and excitement, but it is an unhealthy habit.
It affects people like some kind of a drug. It is vital to slightly tap into neurochemistry or brain
science to fully understand how it affects the brain. Watching porn triggers the same parts of
the brain as when taking addictive substances such as drugs hence making the brain release
the same chemicals (“How Porn Affects The Brain,” 2017).2 People have this “reward centre”
found inside their brains, it releases “pleasure chemicals” whenever they do something healthy
(e.g., eating a tasty snack, working out, or enjoying a kiss); the chemical rush makes someone
“high” which will lead him to repeat the behaviour again and again (“How Porn Affects The
Brain,” 2017).3 Addictive substances give out a “false signal” to the brain as it cannot distinguish
a real and healthy reward from drugs which then makes the brain release a chemical called
dopamine that drives it to crave for that fake reward (“How Porn Affects The Brain,” 2017).4
Natural pleasures like munching on your favourite snack or seeing your crush, will let you
eventually feel the satisfaction that you need and your hunger or yearning drops but once more
and more dopamine is released to the brain coming from drugs or any other addictive
substances or materials, cravings also keep increasing which leads the consumer towards
unhealthy behaviours. Tobacco, alcoholic drinks, and drugs are highly addictive in nature and
just like porn, these habit-forming substances and materials have an adverse side effects not
just on the human body, but also on building healthy physical relationships.

Japan is a country with a very prevalent porn culture. Pornography consumption is an

addictive and surging behaviour among Japanese people. Hentai seiyoku (“Abnormal/Perverse
Sexual Desire”) or simply hentai (“pervert”) is a Japanese animated pornographic material
(“What is Hentai,” 2017).5 It is the pornographic side of anime. Some distinctive attributes of
hentai porn are exaggerated sex fantasies and bizarre fetishes featuring characters with huge
body parts. These type of sexual content are so pervasive in Japan that their viewers develop
a mindset that these extreme sex fantasies go greatly beyond real physical interactions. This
kind of mindset immensely affects their sexual expectations and behaviour. Hence, most
Japanese men and women find porn more stimulating and convenient compared to engaging
oneself in physical and social interactions.

With the rise of virtual reality technology, single Japanese men and women often choose
virtual partners over real ones. Virtual dating games have been a rising trend in Japan as it is
highly engrossing. These games have exciting plots and a wide variety of fictional characters
with appealing personalities to choose from. The player and character can go on dates, kiss,
hold hands, exchange sweet text messages, and more. A digital companion seem more
desirable as characters in dating simulation applications have more interesting personalities
compared to that of a flawed individual in the real world. For heterosexual individuals, Otome
(literally “girl”/“maiden”) and Bishoujo (literally “beautiful girl”) game applications are popular
genres. The Otome dating sim application covers any story-based video game that targets
female players; the plot centers on how the female player will develop a romantic relationship
with one of the several male characters (“What are the differences between visual novel, eroge,

2
"How Porn Affects The Brain Like A Drug." Fight the New Drug. August 23, 2017. Accessed March
06, 2018. https://fightthenewdrug.org/how-porn-affects-the-brain-like-a-drug/.
3
Ibid.
4
"How Porn Affects The Brain Like A Drug." Fight the New Drug (see footnote 2).
5
"What is Hentai? [Definition, Meaning]." Honey's Anime. October 23, 2017. Accessed March 06,
2018. https://honeysanime.com/what-is-hentai-definition-meaning/.
gal game, and a dating sim,” n.d.).6 The Bishoujo, on the other hand, is the total opposite of
Otome dating sim where the game is marketed to males and the storyline revolves on building
a romantic relationship with one of the many fictional female characters (“What are the
differences between visual novel, eroge, gal game, and a dating sim,” n.d.).7 These genres may
also incorporate a hentai theme where one can virtually have sexual interactions with the game
characters. This simulated intimacy may bring some sensual vibe to the player however, this is
just some form of chimeric love. The player is stuck in a love loop that’s never going to come
out into reality. It shapes a person’s view of an ideal partner which also affects their relationships
in the real world.

Japan’s technological advancements also contribute to the dwindling interest of

millennials to find their true love. Gatebox, a Japanese company, released a new breed of
virtual assistant; users can interact with a 3D anime character that comes by the name Azumi
Hikari (Morris, 2016).8 This holographic virtual assistant can be a “handy helper and a pseudo-
girlfriend” (Morris, 2016).9 Gatebox offers a virtual home robot which is projected inside a glass
tube that can be connected to a smart home network (Humphries, 2016).10 It can control any
smart home equipments and automate certain tasks such as turning the lights on/off. You do
not only have an assistant that will wake you up, remind you of your schedules, do some
household tasks for you and welcome you back after returning home but also a virtual partner
that you can exchange flirtatious messages with and engage in random chats. These
technological innovations, however, can be worrying as it reduces the people’s interest of
having a healthy sexuality through engaging in physical human connections.

Japan is currently facing demographic challenges with its rapidly ageing society and
slowing birthrate; the country’s population has long been declining as youngsters seem to be
not interested in spicing up their sex lives with a real being. Culturally speaking, no matter how
modern the society of Japan is, Japanese people still value their traditional culture and desire
to have a conventional marriage. They tend to be conservative and “they don’t want to cohabit
or have children outside marriage” (McVeigh, 2016).11 Marriage, as they see it, is the only
acceptable way to have children. They continue to live with their parents until they find their
“ideal” partner for marriage. Income prospects and job stability are some factors that Japanese
women consider as they look for their ideal boyfriend. This is also why men in their country tend
to be workaholic as they want to find a woman who will be pleased with how much they earn

6
"What are the differences between visual novel, eroge, gal game, and a dating sim?" Terminology -
What are the differences between visual novel, eroge, gal game, and a dating sim? - Anime & Manga
Stack Exchange. Accessed March 07, 2018. https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/4926/what-
are-the-differences-between-visual-novel-eroge-gal-game-and-a-dating-sim.
7
"What are the differences between visual novel, eroge, gal game, and a dating sim?” (see footnote
6).
8
Morris, David Z. "The Creepy Virtual Assistant That Embodies Japans Biggest Problems." Fortune.
December 18, 2016. Accessed March 08, 2018. http://fortune.com/2016/12/18/gatebox-virtual-
assistant-japan/.
9
Ibid.
10
Humphries, Matthew. "Gatebox Virtual Home Robot Wants You to Be Her Master." PCMag Asia.
December 14, 2016. Accessed March 08, 2018. http://sea.pcmag.com/robotics-
automation/12918/news/gatebox-virtual-home-robot-wants-you-to-be-her-master.
11
McVeigh, Tracy. "For Japan's 'stranded singles', virtual love beats the real thing." The Observer.
November 19, 2016. Accessed March 08, 2018.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/20/japan-stranded-singles-virtual-love.
and will marry them. Furthermore, the behaviour of youngsters toward dating and marriage is
drastically changing and contributes to the shrinking population of Japan. With the surging trend
of virtual dating sim applications and the continuous rise of the porn industry, the young ones
could not seem to disconnect themselves from the gratification they get in a simulated intimacy
with fictional characters. Pornography and virtual romance technology are becoming a sensual
tool that is deemed to be more satisfying and trouble-free than a frustrating real-life sexual
relationship.

II.
A. Statement/s of the Problem
1. What are the implications of Hentai Pornography and Japan’s advancements in
technology (e.g., dating sims/virtual partners) to the physical relationships among
Japanese people?

2. What are the economic and political repercussions of:

a. Hentai Pornography and Dating Simulation Applications
b. Japan’s Population Pyramid Problem/Population Crisis

3. How does the Japanese Government deal with the nation’s prevalent porn culture
and demographic challenges?

B. Methodology
The researcher utilised a Qualitative Research Design for this study. Basic Qualitative
Research is the most appropriate type of qualitative research to be used as this study focuses
on making general observations; as well as gaining an insight and exploring the depth and
complexity inherent in the phenomenon. In this study, vital facts were garnered from secondary
sources. Content review of existing studies, journal articles, and internet-based data served as
the data gathering tools and methods.

III. Review of Related Literature

“Japan has one of the world’s lowest birthrates and is home to a severely aging
population, with a recent survey finding 34.6 million Japanese aged over 65.” Japan is a country
that has “massive sexless and relationship issues.” Hentai porn, which is a relatively new wave
of pornographic material, has become highly popular over the last decade in the country and
has contributed to its issues. Another factor that is fueling the problems of Japan are the
booming porn and technology industries. The Japanese people are getting hooked on
pornography and virtual relationships that they start to miss out on their social lives and lose
interest in sex. These sexually explicit materials inhibit its viewers from socially connecting with
a potential partner. They can also be hesitant in building real-life connections as they develop
anxiety towards approaching other people. These made up virtual fantasies can even
potentially lose someone’s desire for real sex. The real thing may not become as exciting as
pornography to someone which may lead him/her to have serious sexual issues. ("How Porn &
Technology Are Replacing Sex For Japanese Millennials,” 2017)12

12
"How Porn & Technology Are Replacing Sex For Japanese Millennials." Fight the New Drug.
November 08, 2017. Accessed March 08, 2018. https://fightthenewdrug.org/how-porn-sex-technology-
is-contributing-to-japans-sexless-population/.
 Why find a real partner when you can easily have one on your phone or computer? No
stress, no sweat. The young people in Japan choose to forgo real connections over a fictional
character online. According to the recent research done by the Japanese government, “about
30% of single women and 15% of single men aged between 20 and 29 admitted to having fallen
in love with a meme or character in a game – higher than the 24% of those women and 11% of
men who admitted to falling in love with a pop star or actor.” Professor Masahiro Yamada, a
sociologist at Chuo University in Tokyo, said that the “multi-million pound virtual romance
industry” contributes to the growing number of people who don’t have a partner in the real world.
“Dating sims allow users to adjust the mood and character of online partners and are aimed at
women as much as men. A whole subculture, including hotel rooms where a guest can take
their console partner for a romantic break, has been springing up in Japan over the past six or
seven years.” These unique trends and obsessions have been great contributors to the
demographic issues Japan is currently facing. (McVeigh, 2016)13

“Romance games are life simulation games where the players play as one of the
characters and try to pursue a romantic relationship. The games usually include virtual flirting,
dating, or even sexual plays. Some are even adapted to and from manga novels and popular
anime series.” With the rising trend of romance simulation games, there are a number of
Japanese companies that create these games and cater female gamers. It has long been
targeting the male demographic and now the industry has diversified and catered to females.
These virtual dating games are marketed to those single men and women who want a perfect
relationship. Japanese women even prefer virtual boyfriends over real ones. There are various
reasons for that as perceptions towards dating and marriage among young people have been
changing dramatically. Some women feel that they don’t need marriage in order to be happy
while there are others who see that Japanese men are not approachable and if they ever
approach women, they don’t seem flattering; other men also tend to be shy. It is also reported
that single Japanese women stay virgins until their 30s, this just goes to show that the Japanese
society is still very conservative. (“Why Do Japanese Women Choose Virtual Boyfriends Over
Real Ones,” 2017)14

There is also a rise of expectations among Japanese women towards men. As a

developed country, Japan has “one of lowest income inequalities in the world.” The women in
their country enjoy a secured living with “decent educations, steady incomes, and quality lives.”
Hence, this influences with how women want their ideal boyfriend to be — a man who has
everything (looks, wealth, and personality). Female romance games or Otome games lets the
player choose from a wide variety of male suitors with interesting personalities. The game is
also designed with cool plots such as, going out on a date, performing sexual acts, impressing
your man through fashion, finding potential suitors, and more. There are also companies who
innovate unique products with the use of audiovisual interaction tools where your virtual partner
replies to voice messages or even send out love messages. The success of these dating sim
applications lies on the idea that, “[t]here is a perfect guy for every woman player” and there
are a lot to choose from. These things really connect well with the Japanese female audience.
Although, a real-life boyfriend is irreplaceable, a lot of women find virtual boyfriends more

13
McVeigh, Tracy. "For Japan's 'stranded singles', virtual love beats the real thing." The Observer
(see footnote 11).
14
"Why Do Japanese Women Choose Virtual Boyfriends Over Real Ones? – Japan Info." Japan Info.
January 17, 2017. Accessed March 08, 2018. http://jpninfo.com/66841.
desirable and many companies cash up on these women’s expectations. (“Why Do Japanese

Women Choose Virtual Boyfriends Over Real Ones,” 2017)15

Japan’s Ageing Population – Source: National Institute of Population and Social Security Research

Ever since the postwar period — when Japan made an enormous progress in different
fields including, medical research — there has been an increasing percentage of senior citizens
as the population’s longevity greatly improved. It has also been estimated that people aged 65
and above will continue to increase. As it is shown in table 2.7, the population of Japan as a
whole will continue to decline whereas the proportion of the old will keep on expanding. On that
account, the country’s population will dwindle down by 30% and the old will be comprising
almost 40% of the total population. (Ebara, 2017)16

The ageing society of Japan has its political ramifications. “According to Harney (2013),
in order to sustain the strength of the country’s economy as well as the stability of its political
15
"Why Do Japanese Women Choose Virtual Boyfriends Over Real Ones? – Japan Info” (see footnote
14).
16
Ebara, Sumire. "Ageing Society in Japan and its Political Influences." Global Social Challenges.
April 28, 2017. Accessed March 08, 2018.
http://www.projects.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/global-social-challenges/2017/04/28/ageing-
society-in-japan-and-its-political-influences/.
system and to rescue future generations from possible disaster, there are three obstacles that
Japan has to overcome: politically uninvolved young citizens, the elderly-friendly election
system and the costly national health care and pension system.” Ebara (2017) sees these
issues as interrelated. She mentioned that the influence of the youth on politics is insignificant
despite the fact that the government lowered the voting age from 20 years old to 18 which adds
200,000 youngsters/teens to the Japanese electorate. She saw the youth not being concerned
with politics and not well-educated enough as the reason to this. (Ebara, 2017)17

Because of the ageing society in Japan, the elderly have this “silver power” over the
democratic processes of the country. The fact that there are more elderly voters than younger
ones, the platform of politicians often centre around the welfare of the old. Consequently, the
Japanese government accrues a huge budget deficit each year just to support and finance the
pensions and medical services for the elderly citizens; they can’t just cut off the benefits of the
elderly as it is politically suicidal since they take up a large percentage of the electorate.
Furthermore, the cabinet members in Japan have an average age of 61 years thus it is
unsurprising that policymakers adhere to the voices of the old people than that of the young
ones. If the government does not do anything about the country’s huge budget deficit, this will
be burdensome on the future generations. (Umeda, 2014)18

The greying population of Japan can limit the country’s economic growth and vitality as
there will be workforce reduction and decrease in consumption. Accumulating growth with a
decreasing labour force is a dilemma. As the population ages, there is an increased
expenditures on social services (e.g., pension, medical care, nursing) and this will surely
diminish the savings of the state which will lead to an increase in national debt. With a
staggering economy, this will absolutely result in the deterioration of educational environment
and of economic infrastructures.

The Western world saw pornography as a freedom of expression meanwhile Japan

considers it to be “injurious to public morals.” The Japanese obscenity law is based on Article
175 of the Japanese Penal Code which was passed in the year 1907. The law reads, “A person
who distributes or sells obscene writing, pictures, or other things, or publicly displays the same,
shall be punished with penal servitude for not more than two years or a fine of not more than
five thousand yen or a minor fine. The same shall be applied to a person who possesses the
same for the purposes of selling it.” This enacted regulation has been in effect since the Meiji
Era when America took over Japan, they did not alter this section of the Penal Code. One
cannot buy a movie with uncensored content and for this reason, porn that was made for
domestic distribution in Japan has several kinds of censorship applied to it. The 1907 legal
code is also the reason for the subversion of the law such as the tentacle porn, black bar
censorship, and pixelated porn. The trouble regarding this issue was that it was written way
back in 1907 and so it is broad when it is applied to today’s multifaceted media markets. Dan
Kanemitsu, a Japanese manga blogger, expressed that, “the standard for publishing manga in
Japan before increased government interference and censorship was ‘the industry standard
was that obscuring the crown of the penis and clitoris, and instances of physical contact that
constitutes sexual intercourse would absolve the depiction as being obscene. The police

17
Ibid.
18
Umeda, Michio. ”The Effect of Population Aging on Politics: The Difficulty of Countering “Silver
Power” in Japan ." December 3, 2014. Accessed March 10, 2018. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2014/11/michio-umeda-presentation-updated.pdf.
seemed also to reinforce this mantra, as they encouraged censorship of the kari (crown,) kuri
(clitoris,) and the setsugou-bu (point of contact) and no more.’” In July 2013, three editors of
Core Magazine were arrested for publishing obscene content and this was when the police
seemed to amplify their censorship standards. “They were arrested for selling 24,500 copies of
the deemed ‘obscene’ manga magazine, Comic Mega Store, because of its depictions of sex
between a male and female. They were also charged with selling 36,000 copies of Nyan 2 Club,
a magazine dedicated to reader submitted art. Both magazines had 18+ labels on their covers,
yet were still prosecuted by the police.” This event caused a chilling effect which has been
widespread on manga publication and also caused publishers to step up their self-censorship
and editing since the whole magazine can be shut down if one of their comics are found to be
obscene. (Moore, 2014)19

To address the dual challenge of decreasing birth rates and greying population, the
Japanese government launched several major initiatives since the 1990s which include the
Angel Plan in 1994, the New Angel Plan in 1999, and the Plus One Policy in 2009. But despite
all of that, these have had a little effect; mainly because of “limited resources and a lack of
social alignment with the government's priorities.” The Angel Plan and the New Angel Plan were
designed to make having children an attractive option as it aimed to address a few related
challenges such as, “improving the employment environment to reconcile work and family
responsibilities, enhancing childcare services, strengthening maternal and child health facilities,
improving housing and public facilities for families with children, promoting child development,
improving the educational environment for children, and easing the economic cost associated
with child rearing.” Whereas, the Plus One Proposal was designed to create a “parent-friendly
working conditions with funds allocated for the construction of 50,000 new daycare facilities”
(Irigoyen, 2017).20 Commentators also proposed increasing immigration as a way to resolve
the country’s shrinking workforce. The United Nations estimates that there should be 17 million
immigrants in Japan between 2005 and 2050 “(an average of 381,000 immigrants a year)” in
order for it to keep its demographic level at 127 million (“Can Immigration Solve Japan's
Population Problem,” 2016).21 But there is no prior case for that level of immigration for Japan
is a homogenous society. Only 2% of the population of the country is foreign, the figure already
includes a large number of permanent residents who are mostly Chinese and Koreans (“The
incredible shrinking country,” 2014).22 The very main reason why its government has avoided
the immigration issue is the negative overtones it carries with the Japanese public. A lot of
citizens presume that a favourable policy on immigration will lead to an influx of rowdy

19
Moore, Nathaniel D. "Japan." Free Speech and Free Press Around the World. April 29, 2014.
Accessed March 10, 2018. https://freespeechfreepress.wordpress.com/asia/japan/.
20
Irigoyen, Claudia . "Tackling the Declining Birth Rate in Japan." Centre for Public Impact. April 7,
2017. Accessed March 10, 2018. https://www.centreforpublicimpact.org/case-study/tackling-declining-
birth-rate-japan/.
21
"Can Immigration Solve Japan's Population Problem?" Can Immigration Solve Japan's Population
Problem? | Economy Watch. June 07, 2016. Accessed March 10, 2018.
http://www.economywatch.com/features/Can-Immigration-Solve-Japans-Population-
Problem0607.html.
22
"The incredible shrinking country." The Economist. March 25, 2014. Accessed March 10, 2018.
https://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2014/03/japans-demography.
foreigners who will disrupt the nation’s domestic harmonious society (Menju, 2017).23
Consequently, a politician who has a positive stance on immigration will most likely lose an
election as he will go against the favour of the public. And so the government sees immigration
as a last resort, it has not even made any sufficient efforts to “provide the public with correct
information on immigration to broaden deliberation on an objective immigration policy.” It will
also be expected that policies on immigration will be a “hot topic of dicussion,” but there will be
no signs that will insinuate the Japanese government of adopting any measures to encourage
immigration. Hence, there are no debates taking place in Japan regarding its immigration policy
(Dominguez, 2015).24

IV. Presentation, Interpretation, & Analysis

The thriving porn and technology industries in Japan has greatly contributed to their
pervasive porn culture. As the virtual world is becoming the new reality, the Japanese people
get disconnected from real-life experiences. They miss out on building healthy relationships
with others and fall for a simulated love with a fictional character instead. There are limitless
possibilities when porn and technology collide, it can even replace sexual relationships. With
the power of creativity and wide imagination of the Japanese people, the Hentai industry was
born. This surpasses mainstream pornography as it can depict extreme sex fantasies through
cartoons or animations. Companies in Japan also saw the lucrative side of the romantic
fantasies of men and women. As today's people are getting hooked on their own digital realities,
this has paved way for the virtual romance industries. Virtual dating is a trending craze in the
country where it can even include sexual plays. This has affected the social relationships of the
citizens in Japan; it resulted to the heightened expectations of men and women in a real partner
or in a real relationship. Hentai porn and dating sim applications not only heightened the
expectations of Japanese men and women in a partner or in a relationship, but also their sexual
fantasies. The virtual world can fuel one's longing for an intimate relationship or sex which
results to the sexless issues of men and women in Japan. Instead of doing it with a real person,
they just get it on with an animated character and even find it better. By the same token, why
go through the trouble of finding a partner just to make out when one can just masturbate to
hentai where there are limitless boundaries of extreme sexual fantasies? Sexually explicit
materials can lessen its viewers' satisfaction after making out with their partner and can also
lose one’s interest in the idea of doing it with a human being. With citizens having less interest
and enjoyment in actual sex relationships, there is no surprise that Japan has low fertility rate
and a greying population.

The main reason why Japanese men and women turn to porn and dating sims is because
of their conservative and traditional culture. Cohabiting and having children outside marriage is
very uncommon for the citizens in Japan. Japanese women also stay virgins until their 30s as,
for them, Japanese men don't approach women in a flattering way and they have high
expectations from men considering that their country has low levels of income inequality. An
ideal boyfriend for Japanese women would be a man who is wealthy, has the looks, and has

23
Menju, Toshihiro. "Immigration the solution to Japan's population problem." East Asia Forum.
October 25, 2017. Accessed March 10, 2018. http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2017/10/26/immigration-
the-solution-to-japans-population-problem/.
24
Dominguez, Gabriel. "Impact of Japan's shrinking population 'already palpable' | Asia| An in-depth
look at news from across the continent | DW | 06.01.2015." DW.COM. January 6, 2015. Accessed
March 10, 2018. http://www.dw.com/en/impact-of-japans-shrinking-population-already-palpable/a-
18172873.
an interesting personality; virtual romance applications certainly have these and there are many
men to choose from which is why a lot of women are head over heels in love with virtual
boyfriends as they seem to be more desirable than real men. On the other hand, as Japanese
men tend to be shy, they just turn their attention to beautiful anime girls with perfect bodies.
These fictional characters don't need to be pampered with money nor with attention. Men can
choose to play with them anytime they want to. This is probably why Japanese men don't make
an effort to get acquainted with women in the real world as they're satisfied with the simulated
intimacy they get from the girls on their phones and they don't want to experience the pain from
any rejection from women.

The prevalence of the effects of Hentai pornography and dating sim applications have
immensely contributed to the country's population crisis. The ageing society and slow growth
of fertility rate has inverted the once "Mt. Fuji-like" population pyramid of Japan where the
younger generations are at its base while those who belong to the working age are at the top.
This has held back the country's economic growth as there continues to be a decrease in
consumption and labour force. Social security benefits for the elderly also continues to take a
large percentage of the national budget. The government cannot cut down or reduce the
benefits of the old Japanese people as most policy makers also benefit from it being a part of
the grey population and politicians could lose support from the Japanese electorate as the
elders take a large portion of it hence the elders’ “silver power” in the government. The
Japanese government could not do much to further support the youth as they are not that
involved in politics as much as senior citizens do. If this condition persists, it will eventually
dwindle down the country's savings and will add up to its debt. The scarcity of a country's
financial resources will yield to a staggering economy and the young and future generations
will have to suffer its consequences.

As Japan considers pornography to be "injurious to public morals," its government

passed the obscenity law which was based on Article 175 of the Japanese Penal Code. It
prohibits the selling, distribution, and displaying of obscene materials. However, the law doesn't
help much as the word "obscene" was broadly stated and there is no clear elucidation of what
is considered to be obscene hence many hentai producers found a way to subvert the law which
is through tentacle porn, black bar porn, and pixelated porn.

The Japanese government has taken up various initiatives (e.g., the Angel Plan in 1994,
the New Angel Plan in 1999, and the Plus One Policy in 2009) to deal with its declining birth
rates and ageing population. However, it had a very minimal effects which have not completely
resolved the issues that the country face. These initiatives were not that much of a success due
to the very limited resources the government has because of its huge budget deficit brought
about by the large social security expenditures. Its main priorities focuses more on the welfare
of the senior citizens as the country's population is largely comprised by them and it disburses
its national budget more on health care programs and pension system than on childcare
services and child health facilities. A possible solution to the population crisis in Japan is
immigration. However, the government is not open to the possibility of increasing immigration
levels as it has a negative connotation on the Japanese citizens and the country is known to
have a homogenous society. The nation's government does not make any effort to break the
pessimistic view of the public towards immigrants or foreigners as it will go against the public's
favour and if the government loses the support of its citizens, this may lead to protests that
could eventually cause a civil disorder.
V. Summary, Conclusion, & Recommendation
The conservative and traditional culture of Japan is partly responsible for the buoyant
porn and technology industries. Staying single seems more preferable both for Japanese men
and women as they see that they don't need marriage and kids in order to be happy. People in
Japan are contented with watching Hentai porn and getting intimate with a virtual partner. These
things are more convenient and less bothersome than looking for true love. The real world can't
seem to meet the expectations of men and women when it comes to finding their perfect partner
as their perceptions are shaped by what they see from the digital world. As financial stability is
not an issue due to equality of income among Japanese men and women, they don’t need any
partner to secure their wellbeing. Their wild sexual fantasies are only satisfied by masturbating
to sexual plays by anime characters. Consequently, it is unsurprising that Japanese people —
especially teens — are losing their interest in real sex. Pornographic materials can hinder
people from building healthy sexual relationships. The connection of people in the real world is
on the wane as virtual dating games try to replace their idea of "reality."

The sexless relationships of the Japanese citizens result to the country’s demographic
challenges. The pervasive porn culture and the population pyramid problem both have political
and economic repercussions. As these issues are interrelated, its consequences are also
connected with each other. Pornography is a public health issue as deemed by its implications
in the society. The government passed the article 175 of the Japanese Penal Code that will
serve as a law that will regulate obscenity, but because of its weak form, there are those who
get around it through stepping up their censorship game. There’s no stopping the porn industry
and it greatly affects the Japanese citizens. The country now faces a demographic time bomb.
The nation’s low fertility rates and ageing society can lead to the gradual decline of its economy.
Despite its problem, the Japanese government has not taken up enough measures to resolve
it due to the silver power of the senior citizens. They take up a large percentage of the
population and so the government has no choice but to adhere to their requests and be in
favour of them. This is an enormous problem since with the growing population of the old,
expenditures on health care services and pensions also increase; the Japanese government’s
prioritisation of the old over the young ones is a major problem. The government also has not
taken any initiatives to educate its citizens regarding the advantages that immigration could
bring to their country and this is very worrying since if the government takes on a positive stance
on foreign immigrants while its people are against it, protests are inevitable which could also
lead to civil disorder.

Hence, as porn and dating sims can influence the perception of the Japanese people
towards sex and relationships, respectively, it has been the root cause of other interrelated
issues such as the disconnection of the people from the real world, sexless relationships,
population crisis, and scarcity of economic resources. Hentai pornography and dating
simulation applications have damaging effects in the society and these upshots are going to
harm the future of the younger generations. Dating in the digital world can be enticing as a
perfect partner and relationship exists in the digital reality, but this brings repercussions that
may harm the real world. It has significant impacts on the public’s health, social welfare, and
economic security.

It is crucial that the government educate the youth on the harmful effects of pornography
and virtual dating. In order to reduce the pervasive effects of pornography there should be strict
internet control. Just like in Singapore where they launched a licensing system for providers
and outlawed pornographic information. There should also be restrictions regarding displaying
of lewd materials in public places. The Japanese government should revise the obscenity law
and clearly indicate what categories fall under the term “obscene.”

The government should also launch acquaintance parties where single Japanese men
and women can mingle and participate in different kinds of activities that will help improve their
social relationships. It is through social activities that people develop their confidence in
approaching others and learn how to build healthy relationships. These should divert the
attention of the citizens from any connections from the digital world and these will let them focus
on human connections instead. Hopefully, this will break the ice between Japanese men and
women and also resolve the country’s issue on declining birth rates.

To address the silver power of the grey society and the politically uninvolved youth, it is
essential that the Japanese youth are indoctrinated with how they can be politically engaged.
Schools in Japan should have debate or forum activities where students and any government
representatives or officials are able to express their opinions and exchange ideas regarding a
political issue. In this way, they can learn from each other. Inculcating a political mindset to the
youth is of crucial importance to the success of the state as the minds of the young ones are
creative and they view things in a different angle. Seminars regarding responsible voting are
also a great way to educate young people of their rights and obligations to the state. The
government should make them feel that their voices are important and as well as encourage
them to vote in elections. Furthermore, the Japanese government must also understand that
benefits should be equitable; there should be an equity of benefits between senior citizens and
the youth. The old should know better as the future of the state also lies with the younger
generations.

The lack of exposure and low interaction between foreigners and Japanese locals might
explain the negative impression of the Japanese citizens towards immigration. The country’s
government should educate the public about how immigration can resolve some of its issues
and that immigration is not that bad at all. After inculcating a positive view regarding immigration
to the public, the Japanese government can start implementing laws concerning it. The
government could start from increasing annual immigration quotas so as not to shock its local
citizens. There should be events where foreign students can visit different schools in Japan and
mingle with the students and locals. Bonding activities for foreign and local workers are also
good ways to strengthen their relationships. Moreover, the state could start facilitating cultural
exchanges and encouraging more people to travel, study, and work in Japan.

Despite being a developed country, Japan also faces different issues which could
hamper its economic progress. The demographic challenges that the country is facing might
take time to completely resolve but as long as its citizens begin to have liberal views and have
an optimistic stance on possible solutions to their country’s issues, it would not take long for
Japan to have a booming population growth and regain its “Mt. Fuji-like” population pyramid.

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