Japan Internet Dating Safety Concerns

YOMIURI -- Jan 17 -- The (Japanese) National Police Agency (NPA) wants stricter regulations as current law regulating Internet dating services is being ignored. The law (enacted September 2003) prohibits minors under 18 from such actions as posting messages on the sites that can be interpreted as soliciting to have paid sex. According to the NPA, there are about 5,000 dating sites on the Internet. The number of young people under 18 who were victims of sex crimes in connection with dating service sites in 2006 increased to 1,153, up 92 people from the prior year. 95% of the victims accessed the sites via cell phones.