Delegates from 138 countries began a four-day international conference here Monday to assess their past achievements and renew their pledge to fight the sexual exploitation of children.
The Second World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children has drawn about 3,300 participants from governments, nongovernmental organizations, international organizations and the private sector to the Hotel Pacifico in Nishi Ward, where they are discussing measures to eliminate child prostitution and pornography.
About 100 youth representatives from 38 countries, including child victims of sexual abuse, are also participating in the event, which is a followup to the inaugural congress in Stockholm held in August 1996.
In the opening ceremony, Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka said the problem has gotten worse over the past five years.