Surugaya, a prominent retailer in Japan, has recently taken the step of restricting access to its adult PC game and doujin pages on its online platform. This decision has raised concerns regarding potential restrictions from credit card companies. According to a report from Game*Spark, Talos EC, the listing management system partner for Surugaya, issued an official statement on May 20, indicating that the mature content available on Surugaya will be temporarily unavailable. However, plans are in motion to reinstate this content as swiftly as possible.
Payment Processing Discussions Underway
In their statement, Talos EC elaborated on the current situation, noting that discussions with payment processing providers are essential at this juncture. The company is working diligently to establish clear guidelines for handling their products, aiming to restore access to adult content in the near future. While the precise reasons for the sudden removal of mature games and doujins remain unclear, it appears that Surugaya may have encountered some form of restrictions or conditions imposed by payment processors, necessitating this temporary limitation.
Since the beginning of 2024, numerous reports have surfaced regarding credit card companies and payment processors suspending services for transactions involving adult content. These restrictions have impacted various major Japanese platforms that facilitate the sale of adult material, including DLsite, Fantia, Skeb, and DMM, among others.
As highlighted by IT media Japan in 2024, Taro Yamada, a member of Japan’s House of Councilors, pointed out the complexities surrounding the payment processing framework between credit card brands and retailers. In many instances, inquiries about the suspension of specific credit cards originate from the payment processing agencies themselves. For instance, pictSPACe, a doujin website focused on boys’ love manga, was abruptly informed by their payment agency that purchases via Mastercard or Visa would no longer be available, without any explanation provided. Yamada emphasized the ongoing challenges in identifying the party responsible for enforcing these payment processing restrictions, noting a lack of progress in gathering information on these matters.
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