Australia Bans Import of Hentai from Japan

Australian Customs has placed an import ban on any adult-related products from Japan, including hentai, male masturbators called “onaholes,” Japanese adult videos (JAV) DVDs and other products marked with 18+.

The Australian Customs reportedly rejected DHL Japan from importing packages containing adult materials into the country, according to a blog post by retailer J-List on Oct. 14.

“They then advised us to stop sending adult products to the country,” J-List wrote. “Following that, current Australian orders with adult items in them were returned to us this week.”

According to the Australia Border Force’s website, the illegal porn ban is listed as child pornography and states:

“Publications, films, computer games and any other goods that describe, depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence, terrorist acts or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults are not allowed. This includes bestiality and sexual violence.”

Those caught with child pornography may face up to 10 years of imprisonment. However, it states that other illegal products will be confiscated and those who violate the law may face “on the spot fine, prosecution and large financial penalties.”

The ban came months after Senator Stirling Griff’s complained about sexualizing anime characters who look like children, Lad Bible reported.

At a review in March, the 62-year-old politician called in the Director of the Classification Board Margaret Anderson to explain what was and wasn’t flagged. Anderson said that these products were not flagged because they are works of fiction, Kotaku reported. He went on to raise complaints that too many anime and manga show the sexualization of child-like characters and child abuse.

Griff cited several anime during the review, including “Sword Art Online: Extra Edition,” “Eromanga Sensei” and “No Game No Life” and other titles.

Anderson explained context is important during the review, adding, “What we are looking at here is an animated story, it is not live content involving an illegal criminal act that is being viewed.”

Featured Image Screenshot via Taka

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