Japan’s biggest retail chains are pulling porn magazines off the shelves to improve their image ahead of the two biggest sporting events ever to take place in the country – the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Seven-Eleven and Lawson, which collectively operate around 34,000 convenience stores throughout Japan, are removing adult magazines that are currently separated from other publications by a thin panel to denote that they can only be purchased by adults.
The availability of adult magazines in popular family stores triggered multiple complaints from shoppers, who asked for the pornography to be hidden from the view of children.
The move to halt sales of X-rated reading material was also inspired by Japan’s preparations for the two major sporting events, which will be held in the country in the next two years.
Seven-Eleven and Lawson followed in the footsteps of other major Japanese stores, Ministop and Family Mart, which stopped sales of porn magazines in their outlets in 2017.
Also on rt.com REVEALED: ‘Russia’s hottest World Cup fan’ turns out to be porn star (PHOTOS)The Rugby World Cup and the 2020 summer Olympics are expected to boost tourism numbers, with fears being voiced that the presence of porn magazines on the shelves could create an unwelcoming environment and tarnish the image of the host nation.
However, some analysts suggest that the stores’ decision was informed by low sales of adult magazines, which account for less than one percent of their total trade due to the fact that pornography is available on the internet.