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Distributed for University of British Columbia Press

Sex, Sexuality, and the Constitution

Enshrining the Right to Sexual Autonomy in Japan

A rigorously detailed argument for sexual autonomy as a constitutional right, a position with far-reaching implications for government policies.

As Japan’s declining birthrate shrinks its populace, social security is under increasing pressure to support an aging population. In response, the government has focused on boosting the birth rate. Yet this guiding policy principle leads to a slew of vital, terrifying questions such as: should the constitution protect individual rights to decide sexual/gender identity? To have or refuse sex? To have a child? To have access to abortion?

With sexual freedoms remaining constitutionally unprotected in many countries, Sex, Sexuality, and the Constitution critically reconsiders the relationship between individual freedoms and legal protection, exploring the extent to which authorities should be allowed to influence sexual autonomy.


310 pages | 6 x 9 | © 2023

Asian Studies: East Asia

Gender and Sexuality

Law and Legal Studies: The Constitution and the Courts


Reviews

“Sensible as well as highly readable, Sex, Sexuality, and the Constitution is a must-have for scholars and students interested in privacy and sexual autonomy from a comparative perspective. The Japanese experience is a rich source of fascinating and thought-provoking material, and no one knows it better than Matsui.”

David S. Law, School of Law, University of Virginia

"This is the first book to undertake such a comprehensive examination of the legal and constitutional treatment of sexual autonomy in Japan."

Daniel Foote, Faculty of Law, University of Tokyo

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