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Japanese Webcomics Group Restricts Sexually Explicit Online Ads After Uproar
As Japan debates whether to restrict sexually explicit ads shown to minors, a group of 11 webcomics companies responds to public pressure.
By Jay Allen
Many in Japan have complained for years about a lack of zoning for sexually explicit ads on Japanese websites. The ads often show up on content consumed by minors, such as gaming sites. Now, after a swelling public outcry, one group of webcomics publishers has voluntarily zoned its ads to reduce the likelihood of minors seeing explicit content.
Association self-limits, complaints stop
I’ve written previously about how sexually explicit ads appear on sites consumed by kids in Japan. A survey conducted by a citizens’ group of 1,970 people in May 2025 found that over half have seen sexually explicit ads on game strategy sites, personal blogs, social media, and news websites.
Despite calls to restrict such advertising, Japan’s government hasn’t taken action. In April 2025, Miura Junko, head of Japan’s Children and Families Agency, says she wants to “lead the charge” in…
