TOKYO (AP) -- Japan's lower house of Parliament Tuesday banned the production and sale of child pornography and outlawed sex with a minor, answering mounting criticism over the country's lax sex-crime laws.
The measure has been approved by the upper house, so Tuesday's vote made it law. The Justice Ministry said the new restrictions will take effect sometime in the fall.The vote follows growing international criticism that Japanese inaction on sex tourism and Internet child pornography was allowing the crimes to persist at home and abroad.
The new law bans the sale, distribution, production, possession and trading of child pornography and imposes punishments of up to three years in prison or fines of up to $24,400 for violators.
The legislation also makes it illegal to have sex with a minor 17 or younger.