Japanese Court Makes Landmark Ruling Over Porn Star’s Contract

TOKYO — A Japanese court, in a recent landmark ruling, has allowed a porn star to end her adult studio contract prematurely without penalty.   

The decision at Tokyo District Court, as reported by the Japan Times, paves the way for other performers to easily cut ties with adult studios.

In early September, the court dismissed a lawsuit filed by a porn production company against a woman in her 20s after she suddenly ended her contract. The studio was asking for $200,000 in damages.

The ruling in favor of the woman was finalized Friday after the studio decided not to appeal, according to the woman’s attorney, Kazuko Ito.

“Originally an aspiring TV talent, the woman, whose identity has been withheld to protect her privacy, decided to terminate her contract with the company after being forced to appear in a number of obscene works while still a minor and a porn film once she was an adult,” the Japan Times wrote.

In the ruling, presiding Tokyo District Judge Katsuya Hara said shooting a porn film, which inevitably necessitates actors and actresses being involved in sex, “must not be conducted against their will.”

The woman was, therefore, legally able to end her contract with the plaintiff, Hara ruled.

“That the court declared companies are not allowed to make people engage in sex without their consent is a strong message against sexual exploitation of women, and will hopefully spark a move toward establishing legislation against such an industry,” Ito told the Times.

“Ito described the ruling as a game-changer in that people will no longer have to film porn movies if they find it unacceptable, regardless of what their initial contract says,” the Times wrote.