Japan declines to join movement to ban youth from social media

Japan's communications ministry expert panel rejected a blanket age ban on social media for children, instead proposing stricter identity verification requirements for platforms like Instagram and TikTok. The draft guidelines, released June 2, mandate providers to assess service risks, set target ages, and publicize their verification methods, diverging from Australia and the European Union's uniform restrictions. The panel deemed blanket bans undesirable due to differing service designs, with final guidelines expected this summer.

By KENICHIRO SHINO/ Staff Writer June 3, 2026 at 15:47 JST Apps on a screen of a smartphone Asahi Shimbun file photo An expert panel of the communications ministry on June 2 unveiled draft guidelines for regulating children’s social media use, which reject the blanket age bans imposed in other countries. The proposal, instead of a uniform ban, calls for stricter identity checks to replace the current system, which relies almost entirely on self-reporting. Under the proposal, providers such as Instagram and TikTok would be mandated to evaluate their services for risks. Based on those assessments, they would set and publicize target ages and feature restrictions, along with the reasoning behind their age policies and verification methods. The report highlights that most services rely on self-reported ages and proposes strengthening verification methods. One option suggested is leveraging age data already held by mobile phone carriers. In its approach, the panel is charting a different course from a growing international trend. Countries such as Australia and the European Union are moving toward uniform age restrictions, such as for users under 16. The draft report dismissed this approach, stating that it is “undesirable because the design and characteristics differ for each service.” Following a public comment period, the report is expected to be finalized this summer. Officials from relevant ministries will then move to develop countermeasures, including potential legal amendments and new guidelines. A peek through the music industry’s curtain at the producers who harnessed social media to help their idols go global. A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors. Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life. A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II