Capcom fights GTA3 age ban

By Ellie Gibson Published 8 June, 2005

Japanese kiddies cheer.

Capcom is considering launching a legal battle over decisions taken by local government officers in Japan to ban the sale of Grand Theft Auto 3 to under-18s.

The game features a sticker on the box stating that it contains “violent and grotesque scenes”, along with information that it has been rated by the Computer Entertainment Rating Organization as being suitable for “Ages over 18”.

However, unlike in the UK, the rating does not have legal implications - it’s merely there as a guideline.

But last week, officials in Kanagawa, a district just south of Tokyo, agreed to make it illegal for retailers to sell GTA3 to minors. Other districts are expected to follow suit.

Capcom, which holds the publishing rights to Rockstar’s blockbuster series in Japan, issued a statement slamming the officials for reaching their decision without seeking consultation.

"Japan's videogame industry is a world-class business, which foundations are supported by the freedom of expression and intellectual property protection laws,” the company said in a statement.

“Like our country itself has been practicing, it is essential that we continue to make efforts to sustain these two factors that are essential for growth of the game industry.”

The statement went on to argue that Capcom is a responsible publisher, fully capable of self-regulation: “Our company does not believe that videogames should be completely free of any regulations under the freedom of expressions, and we have censored our games when seen to be required within our judgment.

"It is especially important to handle freedom of expression with care. It is a powerful factor in society, but also something extremely delicate.”

Capcom ended the statement by promising to “further examine how to cope with this issue, including the possibility to take certain legal action.”

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (16) Latest comment 7 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Zuiyo #1 7 years ago

    Capcom is right here. Violent and sexual manga count 12 year olds amongst its most avid consumers which grow up to be normal humans living in society without further problems. Japan has fought many battles here, especially within the censorship areas, and always because of limited and usually hypocritical outbursts of public opinion fuelled by minor groups.
    Edited by 1 at 08/06/05 @ 15:10

  • TS2610 #2 7 years ago

    Kids lose their virginity at about 10 in Japan, for crying out loud.

  • tpfkanep #3 7 years ago

    How would you know!?!

  • a8a #4 7 years ago

    Kids lose their virginity at about 10 in Japan, for crying out loud.

    I sincerely hope youre joking. It's hard to tell since the humour content is roughly zero, but I dont like to think that such astonishing ignorance exists in the world.

  • captain-future #5 7 years ago

    legally they're right but on the other hand...

  • Tweakmonkey #6 7 years ago

    I didn't realise the British rating was merely a guideline. Does the Daily Mail know about this? ;-)

  • Yama #7 7 years ago

    "However, unlike in the UK, the rating does not have legal implications - it’s merely there as a guideline."

    Tweakmonkey said:
    "I didn't realise the British rating was merely a guideline.
    Does the Daily Mail know about this? ;-)"


    Well, I interpreted the article's statement in an opposite fashion...

  • TS2610 #8 7 years ago

    I was exaggerating, although Japanese kids are fairly more promiscuous than kids in England.

  • Lothar Hex #9 7 years ago

    According to the Japanese, their Age of Consent is only 13.

    http://www.ageo fconsent.com/japan.htm

    But yeah, the Japanese are funny in the head anyway (Silent Hill, Pokemon, Dragon Ball Z etc etc.) I doubt a game like GTA will make any go and kill someone. It's just another piece of adult content easily available to kids over there.

  • TR421 #10 7 years ago

    The british rating is a legal rating as its been applied by the BBFC rather than PEGI or ELSPA. It is an offence to sell the game to under eighteens or to purchase it for a minor.

  • Daryoon #11 7 years ago

    And didn't they only introduce the whole Age of Concent thing a few years ago?
    Edited by 1 at 08/06/05 @ 19:49

  • kflarsen #12 7 years ago

    Go Capcom! Seriously, no games should be off-limits for anyone from the age of around 14-15 I think. A limit of 18 years is stupid and only invites violations.

    Now excuse me while I'm off on a murderous rampage. In real life! Not.

  • .kaine #13 7 years ago

    Heh, I love the irony. In the Western world, as it has all but too often been pointed out we have been desensitised by violence, and we overreact to anything slightly sexual with moral outrage (Nipplegate or the wardrobe malfunction, anyone?) whereas in Japan, it seems to quite often be the exact opposite in that it's not overly offensive to be sitting on a train and reading hentai, whereas an extremely violent game such as this gets moral outrage usually reserved for the redneck hicks.

  • jellyhead #14 7 years ago

    Don't go showing pubes and nipples in Japan, you'll get lynched.

  • Tweakmonkey #15 7 years ago

    I was exaggerating, although Japanese kids are fairly more promiscuous than kids in England.

    Don't make me laugh. Japanese kids are far too busy studying at school and there are probably more English schoolgirls up the duff than anywhere else in the developed world.

  • Corben_Dallas #16 7 years ago

    Thats Poor form from Capcom, it should be 18's only in Japan as well. theres a reason its an 18's game. They just want more sales (to under 18's) X-( its a great game and have no prob with it but, its not for kids.
    Crass commericial exploitation by Capcom :(

  • Gareth.de #17 7 years ago

    I was exaggerating, although Japanese kids are fairly more promiscuous than kids in England.

    That's a load of bollocks. And it's not England you ignorant peasant - it's a problem within the whole of the UK. We have the highest teenage pregnancy rates, highest STI rates and highest single mother rates in Western Europe, so get down off that horse!!