Hiroshima ordinance requires phone companies and Net cafes to add filtering for under 18s

According to an article on asahi.com (Japanese) yesterday, Hiroshima's city government is the first local government in Japan to pass a bylaw mandating that Internet cafes and keitai companies activate filtering technology for customers and users under 18 years of age. The
Shonen to denshi media to no kenzenna kankeizukuri ni kan suru jyourei (which can be translated as something like "Ordinance for the creation of a safe online environment for minors") will come into effect in July and aims to prevent exposure of minors to inappropriate and harmful websites. Businesses found in violation will be named and shamed.

In theory this doesn't seem like a bad idea, but isn't official regulation of the flow of information usually a bad idea. I get even more nervous when the bylaw has been passed and guidelines for determining what an constitutes an inappropriate site - to be decided by a group of police officers, experts and parents - are yet to be decided.

One thing is for sure; such bylaws should not be a substitute for educating minors how to navigate, use and participate in digital media safely and to their advantage. And of course, for teachers and guardians to taking an active interest in the online activities of their children and students.

There's a bunch of information in Japanese on the Hiroshima city website here.

ADDITION
I should mention that the Asahi article doesn't only mention "sexually titillating" sites, but also that "gakko ura" sites - kind of unofficial school bulletin boards where online bullying occurs and can provide "fertile soil for crime".