Japan is eyeing revising the anti-prostitution law to potentially include buyers who solicit sex for money as violators, closing a widely criticized loophole wherein only sellers are deemed to be in violation.

During a regular news conference on Tuesday, Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi said the ministry would establish an expert panel to discuss possible revisions within the current fiscal year, which ends in March.

※In recent years, acts such as soliciting sex on the streets have been declared a social issue, with growing demand to take appropriate measures,§ said Hiraguchi.