By Mark Schilling
In Japan censorship is the responsibility of the Motion Picture Code of Ethics Committee
or, as it is commonly called, Eirin. In existence since 1949, Eirin rates all foreign films
imported into Japan, as well as domestic films made by its member producers.
Non-members are mainly companies involved in Japan's enormous pornography industry.
There are four classifications: general, PG-12, R-15 and R-18, though the majority of
films are released with a general rating. Of the 80 films listed by Tokyo-based Pia
magazine for its August 16~23 issue, only twelve were rated PG-12 or above: Dirty Pretty
Things (PG-12), Dreamers (R-15), L'Histoire de Marie et Julien (R-15), dot the i (R-15).
La Bande du Drugstore (R-15), Izo (R-15), House of 1000 Corpses (R-15). Lan Yu
(PG-12), 21 Grams (PG-12), Deep Love (PG-15), D.P. (R-15) and Akame 48 Falls
(R-18).
As these ratings indicate, Eirin tends to be more concerned with sexual acts and genital
display than violence. The balance, however, has been shifting in the past decade from a
comically obsessive attention to pubic hair to greater concern with violence, prompted by
shocking incidents perpetrated by young fans of violent films and games.
The most notorious recent censorship incident concerned Eirin's decision, in late 2000, to
slap an R-15 rating on Kinji Fukasaku's Battle Royale. This hyper-violent film about a
"class" of teenagers forced to murder each other by a repressive government in
near-future Japan had parliamentarians and even the Minister of Education lamenting its
negative effect on youth. These statements, as well as Fukasaku's loud protests over the
rating, helped make Battle Royale a box office smash, even though the young teens that
were its target audience couldn't see in the theatres.
