TOKYO — Nine Japanese ISPs began blocking child porn websites today.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the crackdown is aimed at stamping out the illegal distribution and possession of sexually explicit images of children in the country that’s viewed as a major global source of the material.
More that 100 websites are being targeted by The Internet Content Safety Association that was established in March.
The group of 21 member companies includes nine ISPs, among them NEC Biglobe, NTT Communications and KDDI that cover 50-70 percent of online Japanese households, according to the National Policy Agency.
A list of suspected Internet addresses subject to the block was obtained by the association by Japan’s Internet Hotline Centre, a watchdog group that monitors illegal and harmful information on the web.
The report also said four major Internet search sites, including Google and Yahoo Japan, are ensuring that sites subject to blocking do not show up in their search results.
According to the National Police Agency, Japan’s fight against child porn has ramped up considerably.
The agency reported that law enforcement took action in 1,342 child porn cases in 2010, up 43.5 percent from the previous year to reach a new record since such data was first compiled in 2000.