CNET Japan reports what was already known to those in the know: Japan’s Ethics Organization of Computer Software has banned the production and sale of sexually violent computer games. Here’s my translation:

Screening Organization Bans Production of Sexually Violent Game Software

Emi KAMINO

2009/06/04 18:27

On June 4, the Ethics Organization of Computer Software (EOCS), to which 235 computer game makers belong, announced that it would ban the production of game software that portrays sexual violence.

The controversy surrounding game software that portrays sexual violence began when software produced by a Yokohama-based game software maker was listed on Amazon.co.uk, without having been approved by the British Board of Film Classification. In February, 2009, the British Parliament began to take issue [with the software]. In response, foreign human rights groups protested, calling for a ban on the sale of the software in question, and increasingly vocal demands for reform began to come from many different sectors.

In this context, the maker voluntarily ceased sale of the software. On May 22, the EOCS asked its members to voluntarily cease the production and sale of sexually violent software, and in recent days they decided as an industry to create a rule banning their production.

The EOCS says they plan to begin working out the details of standards used to define sexually violent software.

So there it is. I’ve already expressed my own opinions on the matter in earlier posts, and frankly I’m tired of arguing about discussing it, but I felt obliged to report on the official announcement. This will probably be my last post on the topic.

I have taken the liberty of translating the entry posted to the blog of Abel Group by it’s president, KANNO Hiroyuki, last night. As of this writing, this is the only first-hand account of the proceedings. The links were added by me.

Production and Sale of Rape Game Software To Be Banned: Ethics Organization of Computer Software

The emergency gathering of the member companies just finished.

There wasn’t any major confusion, and, as most people expected, it was decided that the production and sale of rape game software be banned.

<snip>

Here are the details of the gathering.

About a hundred people gathered at Tsuda Hall.

Too many people showed up, so at the last minute they asked that Tokyo-based makers send only one representative each.

Those who travelled from other parts of the country and had tickets for two were allowed in, but, anyway, it was a lot of people.

Rape games will be banned.

I don’t know if this is surprising or not, but there was virtually no one who expressed opposition.

In way, there was this atmosphere of “What can you do?”, so, literally, maybe there was nothing to be done.

Of course, it was an informal meeting, so there wasn’t a vote or anything.

I think more than a few people who didn’t feel comfortable with it.

If there had been a secret ballot, I think there would have been a surprising number of votes against it, but, looking at the whole picture, there was a feeling that a restriction was unavoidable.

It’s not that people didn’t have opinions.

It seems the opinions of BABA-san of Visual Arts, and MORITA-san and YAMAMOTO Kazue-san of Ail stood out.

But no one came straight out and said, “Isn’t this wrong?”

What people seemed more concerned about was, “Exactly what is going to be off-limits?”

That makes sense. There are plenty of makers who are worried, “We’re working on this project right now, but is it okay?”

There were specific questions, like:

“What about tentacle stuff?”
“What about monsters?”

Seriously, how’s that gonna work out? LOL

It was decided that the rules have to be revised, but the details of what those revisions will be are yet to be decided, so there’s no way to answer those questions right now.

Well, I suppose it’s up to the EOCS staff for the time being.

In particular, I think there will be a clamp down on the wording and images of the packages that are the “face” of the games, starting as soon as tomorrow.

It seems there was a lively exchange of opinions, but someone suggested, “Maybe we can drop the label ‘bishoujo game’,” and apparently a few people nodded in agreement.

Candidates for alternative labels included things like “adult game.” I wonder how practical it is to try to change a name that is already a standard and widely used noun, but, surprisingly, people were talking about it with straight faces.

As a creator, I was a bit disappointed that the range of expression will be narrowed, but it seems everyone has been thinking that times have just changed.

Now that it’s decided, we have no choice but to follow the rules.

I’m eager to see how the revision of the rules progresses.

KANNO Hiroyuki
(President of Abel Group)

What surprised me was the calm, dispassionate tone of his report, which contrasts sharply with the foaming-at-the-mouth reactions of pitchfork-wielding fans of the genre on both Japanese- and English-language websites.

Curiously, it is foreign fans, not Japanese fans, who are blaming “those damned feminists.” Sankaku Complex mentions feminists six times in its reaction, e.g.: “bowed to feminist pressure”; “interfering feminist politicians”; “Feminist busybody group ‘Equality Now’”; “foreign feminists”; “avowed feminist”. And that’s just their official reaction. You should read some of the user comments; no shortage of illiterate, incoherent bile and vitriol there. One commenter in an earlier post of mine expressed skepticism at my assertion of the “potential for boiling over into actual violence.” Well, how about this comment for a concrete (no pun intended) example?

Comment by MaidNiac
03-06-2009 03:45

Now i would really love to Curb Stomp them and smash their face on a concrete floor.. Both those feminists and possibly the EOCS too, for being total pussies who let themselves easily stomp by those self-proclaimed protection idiots.
Enjoy your RL raep, b*tches.

In case the code went over your head, that last lines translates, “Enjoy your real-life rapes, bitches.” I wonder if MaidNiac’s, er, “aggression” stems from playing too many violent video games, or if it is an innate agressiveness that draws him to such games? Either way, I hope he doesn’t act on his violent fantasies.

Mr. Kanno, on the other hand–who makes a living producing erotic games and is apparently rather famous in the world of erotic games–seems to be taking the new ban in stride. He also implies that the ban will be a substantive one, and suggests that makers who think it might be limited to cosmetic changes–like changing the nomenclature–are naive. While he expresses disappointment, he acknowledges that times have changed, and it’s time to move on. Let’s hope the angry fans learn to move on, too.

P.S.: It looks like I translated this just in time–or too soon, depending on your point of view. Mr. Kanno has deleted his post, as well as a subsequent post on the matter, saying that as a member of the EOCS, it was not his place to voice his personal opinions on matters that the group has not yet made public. Now I’m torn about whether or not I should delete my translation… (-_-;) That would make this second post I’ve had to redact in less than two weeks. Arghh!!

P.P.S.: Actually, I just realized that Mr. Kanno’s blog entry has already been reproduced at at least four other sites. The cat is out of the bag. So, with apologies to Mr. Kanno, I’ll be leaving this translation up.

Though the news media has not picked up on it yet, and Japan’s Ethics Organization of Computer Software (EOCS) has not announced it on their website, at least one organization member who attended the June 2 emergency meeting of the group reports that the ban was passed with virtually no opposition. This is not a government ban, and effects only members of the EOCS, but, according to Sankaku Complex (whose opinion on the matter is pretty clear), “this accounts for most companies in the industry.”

I’ll write more later, but right now I have a doctor’s appointment I have to run to.