TOKYO — The Japanese manga industry is facing increasing pressure from multinational credit card companies, many based in the U.S., to censor content in order to maintain payment processing arrangements. This development, reported by financial news site Nikkei Asia, highlights a growing tension between creative expression and global payment standards.

Credit Card Companies Target Manga Retailers

Japanese manga retailers are reporting that payment service providers are informing them of "infringing the rules" established by American credit card brands. This pressure is coming from multinational credit card companies, many of which are based in the U.S. and have been targeted by anti-porn religious conservatives.

An executive from one retailer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Nikkei Asia that their company was informed it could face "a penalty of up to hundreds of thousands of dollars a day" if it continued to accept a particular credit card for transactions. The payment processor did not disclose the specific infringements, leaving retailers to guess which content was considered objectionable. This situation is familiar to many adult industry companies and creators.

The executive stated, "We'll have to reduce our platform's dependence on adult content. If we want to expand our market, we'd better stick with the global standards." As a result of this pressure, the retailer "had no choice but to stop taking payment by overseas credit card, even though that was how the majority of their online payments were received."

Nikkei Asia identified Manga Library Z, a popular online source for out-of-print comics, as one of the sites asked to censor its offerings or risk losing its ability to process payments.

Impact on Creative Freedom and Industry Standards

Ken Akamatsu, co-founder of Manga Library Z and a manga artist who is also a legislator, stated that "Japan's rich creative industry, including manga, anime and games, was born out of its freedom of expression." Akamatsu noted that non-Japanese credit card companies are actively targeting manga alongside producers and distributors of porn, known locally as AV video.

Akamatsu added, "The next request from card brands could be to ban novels or violent scenes altogether. Some say Japan should comply with the global standards. But if Japanese content becomes too globalized and loses its unique charm, it will also lose its appeal and demand from overseas."

Legal experts are raising concerns about the potential threat to artists' creative freedom. Law professor Yoko Shida commented, "If a certain genre of expression were to be taken down because of potentially harming card brands' reputation, that could lead to considerable intimidation in the realm of free expression." This echoes concerns about the "chilling effect" on free expression about sexuality, a scenario familiar to U.S. and international counterparts in the adult industry.

Ryohtaroh Satoh, a Nikkei staff writer, reported on August 26, 2024, that some credit card companies are becoming more cautious about the kinds of content publishers they are willing to work with. The Japanese manga industry is coming under increased pressure from global credit card brands to stop selling sexually explicit works.

Broader Implications for the Adult Industry

The situation in the Japanese manga industry reflects a broader trend where multinational credit card companies, influenced by anti-porn crusades, exert pressure on content creators and distributors. This pressure often comes without specific details regarding infringements, forcing companies to self-censor or risk significant financial penalties and loss of payment processing capabilities.

The reliance on overseas credit card payments for a majority of online transactions makes retailers vulnerable to these demands. The executive's statement about reducing dependence on adult content to expand market reach and adhere to "global standards" indicates a shift driven by payment processing requirements rather than market demand or artistic choice.

The concerns raised by Ken Akamatsu and Yoko Shida highlight the potential for these business practices to impact the diversity and unique characteristics of creative industries. The tension between creative expression and the trend toward protective restrictions from global credit card companies is a significant issue for the adult industry and related content sectors.

Key Facts

  • Japanese manga retailers are facing pressure from multinational credit card companies to censor content.
  • Payment service providers are informing retailers they are "infringing the rules" of American credit card brands.
  • One retailer was told they could face "a penalty of up to hundreds of thousands of dollars a day" for continued use of a particular credit card.
  • The specific infringements were not disclosed by the payment processor, forcing retailers to guess objectionable content.
  • Manga Library Z, an online source for out-of-print comics, was identified as a site asked to censor its offerings.
  • Ken Akamatsu, co-founder of Manga Library Z, stated that Japan's creative industry was born out of freedom of expression.
  • Law professor Yoko Shida noted the potential for "considerable intimidation in the realm of free expression" due to these practices.