CERO Z is definitely not an AO equivalent in practical terms. AO actually doesn't have any legal restrictions. It's more a public image issue that prevents retailers from openly supporting the rating, which, given that so few games get it in the first place, makes it no loss for them. This causes a feedback loop that makes the rating financially unsound. AO is mostly a technicality, though. There's very little content that isn't covered by the M rating, to the point that AO may as well be abolished completely. I think the only thing that triggers an AO is actual intercourse. CERO Z, on the other hand, is given to a bunch of games that get an M here, meaning that the bar is definitely lower. A censored God of War III got a Z.
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