Japan fails to control child pornography, UNICEF says

Japan has failed to bring child pornography under control, leaving children around the world at risk, UNICEF said yesterday as it launched a campaign to stamp out exploitation of minors.

Japan's government is inching towards a ban on the possession of obscene images of children, which would bring it into line with most other industrialized countries.

But the Japan branch of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) urged Tokyo to beef up its laws by banning child pornography in manga comics, animated films and computer games as well as individual possession.