> Tokyo Metropolitan Ordinance on Healthy Youth Development

This law (updated in 2010) restricts manga and anime that depict:

Sexual acts involving minors

Incest

"Unjustifiably glorified" sexual violence

It doesn't ban content but can classify it as "harmful," meaning it gets pulled from shelves in stores accessible to minors.

Big publishers often self-censor to avoid triggering this law.

> Obscenity Laws (Article 175 of the Penal Code)

Makes it illegal to sell or distribute “obscene” materials, including real or animated genitalia.

This is why adult content in Japan is often pixelated or censored.

Applies to games, manga, anime, and films.

> Self-Regulatory Bodies (Industry Censorship)

These orgs enforce guidelines to avoid state crackdowns and keep a good public image:
Games

CERO (Computer Entertainment Rating Organization): Japan’s version of ESRB. Titles rated Z (18+) still face restrictions in how they depict gore, nudity, etc.

Developers cut or modify games to pass CERO or avoid controversy. (E.g., The Last of Us 2 had reduced gore in Japan.)

Anime / Manga

BPO (Broadcast Ethics & Program Improvement Organization) monitors TV content.

Broadcasters often air censored versions, especially for late-night anime.

Publishers (like Shueisha or Kadokawa) may pressure authors to tone things down for mainstream appeal.