The ongoing saga of credit card transaction policy issues continues to plague adult content platforms. Ever since DMM.com saw Mastercard pull the plug on adult content transactions in July 2022, there's been a noticeable surge in specific credit card brands suspending services for adult-oriented e-commerce sites. This has impacted major players like DLsite, the out-of-print manga service "Manga Library Z," and doujinshi e-commerce platform "Melonbooks." Now, Senator Taro Yamada, Ken Akamatsu, and various NGOs are actively seeking solutions to this growing problem.
Adding to the list, popular bishojo game brand "YuzuSoft" (affectionately known as Yuzusoft) and the adult manga subscription service Komiflo separately announced on January 27 that Visa credit card payments would no longer be accepted for some of their services. This news has once again sparked widespread discussion.
YuzuSoft, which started as the doujin circle TEAM-EXODUS, is renowned among players for its numerous popular adult games. According to YuzuSoft's announcement, their official online store can no longer process Visa credit card payments. The company stated they were unaware of the specific reasons for this change and urged customers to use alternative payment methods.
Similarly, Komiflo, a long-standing online adult manga subscription service, also confirmed on the same day that due to "factors beyond the company's control," Visa credit cards can no longer be used for monthly subscription payments. This affects existing subscribers with active Visa auto-debit payments. Komiflo has provided a 7-day grace period for members to update their payment methods to ensure uninterrupted subscriptions.
The exact reason for these Visa payment disruptions remains unclear. However, recent trends strongly suggest it's related to stricter payment processing scrutiny by credit card issuers regarding adult content.
While alternative payment methods like Mastercard, Bitcash, JCB, American Express, convenience store payments, and bank transfers are still available, this issue is becoming increasingly common. Numerous related industries in Japan are facing significant obstacles due to these payment restrictions, leaving many netizens frustrated and questioning if anything can be done to regulate this situation.
Japanese politicians concerned with ACG (Anime, Comics, Games) culture, such as Ken Akamatsu and Taro Yamada, along with various NGOs, hope to leverage their influence to uncover the underlying reasons behind these "payment disruptions." As this situation becomes more frequent, there might be a pressing need to push for legal guidelines.
Ultimately, the hope is that Japan can identify the root cause of these issues. Whether the sentiment is directed at the otaku community or creators of adult content, more transparent regulations might be necessary to truly understand and address the core problem.
via： itmedia