We all know that China severely censors the Internet. Last week, Australia announced their plans for censoring online content. Now, Japan has decided to join the fray and regulate online communications.

Japanese government ministries have decided to regulate [pdf] web content, cell phone access, and file sharing. Web content will broadly cover anything that’s on the Internet. This includes, but is not limited to web pages and personal blogs. Social networking sites, forums, bulletin boards and chat rooms will be restricted by mandatory filtering of cell phone access for anyone under 18. While it’s obvious that file sharing will target illegal downloads, it is vague enough that streaming media sites, such as Google video and YouTube could also be included.

Of concern to some Japanese is the ability that others have to post anonymously online, often slandering others, ruining their lives, posting their personal information, including their medical histories, and creating outright lies in an effort to defame others. Unfortunately, Japan has a large problem with such people, however, the laws they wish to enforce are so vague that almost everything on the Internet can fall into the “deemed harmful” category.