Why Is Japanese Adult Content Censored? Mosaics Explained

Short answer

Article 175 of Japan’s Penal Code makes it a crime to distribute or publicly display “obscene” material, including by internet transmission. The law doesn’t define “obscene”, so Japanese producers and platforms hide genitals and sexual contact with a mosaic to stay on the right side of it. MyFans writes this into its terms: creators must mosaic those areas, and uncensored posts are penalised. The mosaic is part of the file, so it’s the same wherever you watch.

Overseas viewers often ask why Japanese adult content is pixelated. The short version is a single article of Japan’s Penal Code, and the way Japanese courts and companies have applied it for decades. This page explains the law in neutral terms and what it means on MyFans. It isn’t legal advice.

What Article 175 says

Article 175 (わいせつ物頒布等, distribution of obscene objects) is in the Penal Code of 1907. According to the current text in Japan’s official e-Gov law database, it covers anyone who:

Article 175 of the Penal Code, summarised from the current text (e-Gov, checked 9 October 2026)
Paragraph	What it covers
1, first sentence	Distributing, or displaying in public, obscene documents, drawings, recording media for electronic records, or other objects
1, second sentence	Distributing obscene electronic or other records by telecommunications, for example over the internet
2	Possessing such objects, or storing such records, for the purpose of distributing them for a fee
Penalty	Up to two years’ imprisonment (拘禁刑), or a fine of up to ¥2.5 million or a petty fine; imprisonment and a fine can be combined

The Ministry of Justice’s English translation of the Penal Code reflects the 2017 text and still uses the older wording for imprisonment. The substance of Article 175 is the same.

Notice what the article targets: distribution, public display and possession for sale. It is aimed at the people and companies who sell or show material, which is why the burden falls on producers and platforms.

Why a mosaic, specifically?

Article 175 never defines “obscene”. That has been left to the courts. A 2010 article in the Washington International Law Journal explains that the Supreme Court set the standard in the 1957 Lady Chatterley’s Lover case, which found a Japanese translation of the novel obscene. In 2008 the Supreme Court ruled that Robert Mapplethorpe’s photographs did not violate the obscenity law, but the article argues that the ruling still respected the 1957 standard and left little room for explicit imagery.

Without a bright-line definition, Japan’s adult industry settled on a practical one: genitals and sexual contact are covered, and the rest is shown. The mosaic is that convention. It isn’t written into the Penal Code; it’s how producers and platforms reduce the risk of prosecution.

The risk is real for platforms. In June 2026, Automaton West reported that the Japanese platform Fantia tightened its censorship rules after police told it some content might breach Article 175. Fantia said it wanted to eliminate any possibility of illegality, and that its own guidelines can’t fully guarantee against future enforcement. For how the two platforms compare more broadly, see MyFans vs Fantia vs Fanbox.

How MyFans applies it

MyFans puts the rule in its terms of use (Article 12): when a creator’s post includes genitals, areas suggestive of them, or sexual contact, those parts must be hidden with a mosaic or another method MyFans specifies. The terms also cover a few non-sexual categories, such as excessively graphic injury.

MyFans’ help centre adds the detail. Any type of mosaic is acceptable if the area can’t be seen, but MyFans may remove posts with non-tile mosaics it judges too light, and it asks for strength on a par with a major Japanese adult retailer. Uncensored posts, or uncensored images sent by DM, are an immediate violation.

MyFans’ mosaic rules, from its terms and help centre (checked 9 October 2026)
Rule	Source
Creators must mosaic genitals and sexual contact in posts and DMs	Terms, Article 12(2); mosaic help article
Light, non-tile mosaics may be removed	Mosaic help article
Breaches can lead to forfeiting sales, a changed fee rate and removal from rankings	Terms, Article 12(3)
Repeat breaches can lead to suspension and permanent bans	Account suspension help article

Our guide Is MyFans uncensored? covers the platform rules from a fan’s point of view, and Is MyFans legit? explains who runs MyFans and under which Japanese rules.

What it means if you watch from abroad

The mosaic is applied by the creator before posting, so it’s in the photo or video itself. Watching from another country, changing your region or paying for a different MyFans membership doesn’t remove it. myfans Premium improves playback and adds viewing features, not uncensored versions; see myfans Premium and the all-you-can-watch channel.

What you may legally view is governed by the law where you live, not by Article 175. We don’t give legal advice; if you’re unsure, check your own country’s rules.

Treat any offer of an “uncensored” or “leaked” version of a MyFans creator’s posts as a red flag. Such copies are, at best, reposted without the creator’s permission; MyFans added a form for reporting unauthorised reposts in June 2026. They can also be fake or carry malware. The way to support a creator is to subscribe on myfans.jp.

Creators to start with

AIRIBlonde gyaru who shows her face and posts several times a week.from ¥500/mo SasukeTokyo creator filming real, unscripted meetups with amateur women.from ¥2,296/mo RenA sperm-donor diary following real donations from the first consultation.from ¥2,490/mo

See all creators

Quick answers

Is the mosaic required by law?

Not in so many words. Article 175 bans distributing or publicly displaying “obscene” material without defining it. The mosaic is the industry’s way of keeping explicit content from being judged obscene. MyFans makes it a binding rule in its terms.

Does Article 175 apply to anime and illustrations?

It isn’t limited to live action: it covers documents, drawings and recordings. Automaton reported in 2026 that Fantia applied stricter rules to live-action content after a police inquiry, while noting the article can also apply to other works.

Can I get an uncensored version by paying more on MyFans?

No. No plan, single post or membership on MyFans removes the mosaic. See Is MyFans uncensored?.

Keep reading

Sources

English links are MyFans’ own translations and can lag behind the Japanese pages; where they differ, this guide follows the Japanese. MyFans can change its rules at any time. If something here is out of date, tell us at contact@japancreatorfind.com.