Shobunkan H Manga Case Going to Supreme Court

The Japan Today newspaper has reported that Shobunkan Publishing president Motonori Kishi has decided to appeal his conviction for distributing obscene material to the Japanese supreme court. In January 2004, the Tokyo District Court found Kishi guilty on obscenity charges because his company published the erotic manga “Misshitsu,” a manga not particularly atypical of Japanese adult manga, but singled out for persecution regardless. Kishi was sentenced to a year in prison and three years of probation. On appeal, on June 16, 2005 the Tokyo High Court reduced the punishment handed down by the lower court to a 1.5 million yen fine. Shobunkan Publishing has decided to appeal the ruling entirely, claiming that the obscenity charge is a violation of Japan’s free speech laws. In a statement denouncing the High Court’s verdict, a group of 90 small and medium-sized publishers has asserted their position that Article 175 of the Japanese Criminal Code contravenes their constitutional right to free expression.

Meanwhile, “Beauty Hair,” the artist of the “Misshitsu” manga, has released two new adult manga so far this year.

Source: Anime News Network