3 former high school baseball team members arrested for forcing girl into prostitution

Yubaru

Is this really about the sports? These boys did something horrible, baseball players or not. What does that have to do with someone having "it out for this team"?

Besides, I think it's pretty tasteless how this article talks more about their playing than the crime and the poor girl.

The article didn't really go into how exactly they forced her to do it.

Exactly!

That is THE crime they committed, and they wrote about everything but that.

"Boys will be boys"???!!! What an as asinine comment! In fact, it is so off-putting it is asinine, ass-a-ten, and ass-a-eleven as well. What if was your sister, or your daughter?

boys will be boys

'boys will be pimps' is more like it

I hate the event. It reminds me of old totalitarian Japan. Particularly, I hate an oath declaration by a representing player at the opening. It is like Hitler.

Good grief, I actually agree with something you say!

Shaven-headed youth making clenched-fist salutes, waving banners, martial music, the obsession with the 'sacred ground', the military-style school uniforms and ritualised dancing in the stands, the oaths: it's like a Hitler Youth Rally.

Knowing how crimes and scandals like this one are usually kept out of the media makes it even more unpalatable.

If we are talking military-style indoctrination at Koshien, I offer up the air-raid siren in between games.

The baseball team in question will probably practice six or seven days a week and have morning as well as after school practices. All the kids will be wiped out and have no energy for studying or god forbid any other hobbies. Parents may be on duty pretty much every weekend with it, so don't think they don't get sucked in either. That's a huge amount of sacrifice from everyone involved. I don't like the way sports are run in Japan, but you have to feel sorry for people who put all the effort in and then see it being taken away like this. As others have noted, other teams will be covering up other misdemeanors, to say nothing of what is likely to be systematic bullying endemic in the way many (most?) of such clubs are run.

She's not getting much of a mention, but my main sympathy is of course to the girl. If the team is to be kicked out of Koshien, the school failing to protect and educate female students would be the best reason for it. This is a fantasy, of course.

The article didn't really go into how exactly they forced her to do it.

I hope they have the same fate as the Oregon State Beavers pitcher Luke Heimlich. He was supposed to be a top 5 draft pick into the MLB but news came out about his past as a child molester. He went undrafted and his future dreams/hopes shattered. These kids are old enough to take responsibility for their actions and deserve what happens to them.

History repeating itself.

"The three, who cannot be named because they are minors..."

Absolute rubbish, and one of the problems with the ridiculous "children until 20" laws. Name and shame them, NOW. And get the woman help and moral support.

Forced? I doubt it. More likely she claimed being forced after her family found out.

Because she still couldn't get enough for that LV bag after the boy-pimps took their cut.

Ah, of course. No story about women being abused would be complete without the obligatory victim blaming.

So whenever a woman makes a claim, we should believe her.

No one has made that claim. That is what you call a strawman.

Did I say she's definitely doing it willingly?

You said she probably did it willingly:

Forced? I doubt it. More likely she claimed being forced after her family found out.

The difference is slight.

And I haven't accused anyone of being irrational, but you just did.

I wasn't accusing you of it, I was stating it straight out.

Did I say don't believe her (or any potential victims for that matter)

When you say she probably lied after her family found out, that means you don't believe her.

Is this really about the sports? These boys did something horrible, baseball players or not. What does that have to do with someone having "it out for this team"?

Exactly it HAS nothing to do with the sports team itself, but whomever broke the news about this to the police to start the investigation, while the boys were still members of the team.

Typically scandals and even crimes, are handled internally by schools and those involved and do not make the press. I know from experience about a number of local HS's that quietly withdrew from the prefectural tournaments because of internal "issues" and even crimes that occurred. Schools work their hardest, particularly "strong" schools, to cover up and keep issues out of the press.

Is it wrong? Hell yes!

Michael Jackson

They were arrested for, and accused of

forcing a female acquaintance into (child) prostitution

forcing the girl (also a minor) to attract a male customer in his 30s for the purpose of (child) prostitution

(parentheses mine)

not for using twitter, which as far as I am aware, is not a crime.  And yes, I partly blame misogynistic attitudes like yours for the under reporting of assault cases.

Forced? I doubt it. More likely she claimed being forced after her family found out.

And you're basing this on...?

I am not surprised that they are "furyo" the bad.

I have been complaining to NHK to stop broadcasting high school baseball games at Koshien. I hate the event. It reminds me of old totalitarian Japan. Particularly, I hate an oath declaration by a representing player at the opening. It is like Hitler. The tournament is only one of the senior high school championships of all high school sports. NHK broadcasts all the games of the baseball. While other sports are only broadcast their final games or nothing at all. I also hate treating players like heroes. Actually they are not popular among students at schools. I remember baseball players at the high school I attended sleeping during classes. They are very tired. Today their purpose playing baseball is to become pro players with a big contract money. Maybe Abe is a fan of Koshien for its anachronistic spiritualism "Utsukushii Nihon."

I have been complaining to NHK to stop broadcasting high school baseball games at Koshien

A snowball has a better chance in hell than NHK stopping broadcasts of this tournament.

The article didn't really go into how exactly they forced her to do it

Of course not, I'll bet the three guys were on "good terms" with the girl in question, and found a way to make some money off some stupid arsed guy and wanted their cut.

forcing the girl (also a minor) to attract a male customer in his 30s for the purpose of prostitution

Forced prostitution... of a minor... in Japan??

I'm shocked!!

Michael Jackson.

The article states

Police said the students have admitted to the charge

With chauvenistic and sexist comments like:

Forced? I doubt it. More likely she claimed being forced after her family found out.

Because she still couldn't get enough for that LV bag after the boy-pimps took their cut.

it is no wonder that only about 25% of sexual assaults are reported to police in Japan.

Actually, this is what you said, MJ

Forced? I doubt it. More likely she claimed being forced after her family found out.

Sounds a lot like your investigation was pretty much cut and dried, don't it?

it is a possibility that this girl is lying to cover her arse.

That's true and that is why we have police investigations and court systems to hopefully get to the truth of the matter. 

Dismissive statements like 'more likely she claimed being forced' and 'she couldn't get enough for that LV bag' are akin to the 'she was asking for it' and 'well, she shouldn't have been wearing that' reactions so common in reported assault cases. 

Yeah, JT may not run a follow up, but other news sources might.

Victim or co-conspirator? We should just take her word for it, because she said so.

So we should take your word for it, instead. I see.

Sounds like a good school, no doubt they'll get suspended sentences then.

So whenever a woman makes a claim, we should believe her. Because God knows women, especially kids, never lie about anything for any reason.

So; kids who say they were forced to carry out sexual acts with adults should not be believed?

What personal attack? I pointed out how you looked stupid, I didn't say anything about your person.

Are you saying that it's impossible that she could be a teenage prostitute?

Literally no one has said that in this thread.

Because I've heard from some teachers in Japan that their students have been in trouble for just that.

So you took that to mean that any girl who is involved in prostution does it willingly:

Forced? I doubt it. More likely she claimed being forced after her family found out.

Quite the logic failure there.

Wow! What a totally messed up article! Is the article about the girl who prostituted herself, the boys who coerced her, the school, the baseball team, the high school baseball tournament or the scum bags who were arrested for paying for sex with her? How much jumbled Janglish can you put into one short article? Most of which is totally irrelevant!

Victim or co-conspirator? We should just take her word for it, because she said so.

Ahh, gotta love posters who only think in extremes. Since we cannot only take her word, she must be guilty of doing it voluntarily.

Or maybe it's true that every woman involved in porn and prostitution Japan is a victim.

No one has made that claim. However, you've determined she was definitely doing it willingly. Don't accuse us of being irrational like you are.

Sounds like a plot of JAV

she went to a hotel three separate times with three separate customers so for you to dismiss the possibility that she is a young prostitute is hiding your head in the sand

Ok, why are you bringing up something none of has claimed as if it were some sort of rebuttal?

The premise if the above quote also shifts the goalposts to make it look like you were just bringing up the possibility that she was complicit. But you werent just bringing up the possibility, you claimed it's what probably happened. Now you're backtracking.because we called you out on your victim blaming.

Face it. You looked stupid. Accept it and carry on.

Yes two sides to every story and no harm speculating what those sides may be. I have already formed an opinion of what likely happened on the scenario given, but will keep it to myself to avoid conflict with my fellow readers here.

Why mention they are baseball team members. Just high school students is enough. I hope the girl gets counseling.

@Michael Jackson

Forced? I doubt it. More likely she claimed being forced after her family found out ... Why wait until after 3? Because she still couldn't get enough for that LV bag after the boy-pimps took their cut.

Sadly, that's not far from the imaginable truth, but one ought to err on the side of caution in case she was one of those 'slow' girls.

If they had had any sense, they would have blackmailed the older guys instead and made much more money out of him.

The local Yaks ought to be giving these guys lessons.

I'm siding with MJ here as it is totally plausible and probably the fact of the matter. Three guys before reporting the activity, and I bet the first of those three guys was not her first. Lastly not all young girls are angels but often can appear to be.

Besides, I think it's pretty tasteless how this article talks more about their playing than the crime and the poor girl.

This.

Also, the folks arguing about whether the girl was willing or not: so if a minor is willing, child prostitution is ok?

Scum!!!

It's a bizarre connection to repeat so many times in such a short article.

What's the message, that too much school baseball will turn you into a pimp?

Even if it was just that "jocks tend to be the class aholes", then fair enough ... but why tarnish the team unless they were involved?

You can huff and puff, stamp your feet, deny until you're blue in the face, and argue for arguing's sake, but your opinion is still only that.

What are you talking about? I haven't given an opinion on whether she did it or not - you were the one who gave an opinion that she probably did.

And I never said that any girl involved in prostitution does it willingly. But again, you said that I did.

You said this girl probably did it willingly, with nothing in the story to indicate that whatsoever. So while you claim that you never said that any girl does it willingly, the fact that you claimed this girl did it willingly without anything to actually show that, proves your claim to be wrong.

I'm siding with MJ here as it is totally plausible and probably the fact of the matter. Three guys before reporting the activity, and I bet the first of those three guys was not her first. Lastly not all young girls are angels but often can appear to be.

Not too clear on how coercion works, are you.

MJ, if you're trying to tell us that your scenario is a merely a possibility, then you should use more neutral language. Using words like 'probably,' 'likely,' 'I doubt it,' give the impression that it's what you believe is likely to be true. So I can't fault other posters for taking issue with you seemingly claiming that one scenario is likely the case, and then trying to pass off that it off as a mere probability. If that is what you intended to claim from the beginning, then state it plainly.

That said, I do think that is certainly a plausible scenario. But there's not enough written about the actual crime to make a judgement.

@Fouxdefa

Also, the folks arguing about whether the girl was willing or not: so if a minor is willing, child prostitution is ok?

If the boys were 18 and the girl was an acquaintance, chances are she around 18, perhaps already left school.

Japan's laws relating to "children" are a bit weak and in a mess due to its history, particularly during in the immediate post-war era when there were so many orphans just left to live amongst the rubble, dying like flies in the railway stations they slept it.

A minor is defined as a person under 20 years of age when in other developed nations, that's 18 being pushed back to 16. I would not call an 18, or even a 16 year old a "child" any more (unless they were retarded).

Laws relating to sexual consent are more confusing.

Ostensibly, the age of sexual consent starts around 13 years old (but only with another 13 or 14 year old). Younger than that, it's a problem. I think that is fair and it avoid the idiocy that happens in the US of 15 year boys getting rape raps on their record for consensually sleeping with their equivalent aged girlfriend.

There's a legal table defining how 13 .. 14 ... 18 and under 20 years can interact, e.g. an under 20 year old with an under 18 year old is a misdemeanor unless permitted.

How many 18 year old boys have 17 year old girlfriends in he USA? I'd call that normal.

Try this:

https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-a3fffdddf1501b9dac44f9491bbb4c99

In this case, we have another case of crappy reporting which fits neatly into the editorial line of Japan as "the home of forced prostitution".

I think "prostitution" or forced prostitution - if that is what happened - is too hard a legal definition for what went on, unless it can be proven that they had a string of victims or intended to make a business.

In law, "intention" is matters equally as much (Mens Rea and Actus Reus).

I think having the tabloids pruriently stomp all over your teenage idiocies is an even more damaging occurence that what actually happened. It does not report that the young woman was hurt in anyway. The newspaper reports are going to do much more damage to all parties.

What is the purpose for them? Profit from titillation.

For goodness sake - if you're going to write an article, write all about the story at bat and don't turn it into some black-balling diatribe about the baseball team!

@TH - you obviously skipped over the post where I said that was only my opinion.

Well she wasn't doing it at her house at least I don't think so so the first thing she should have done is run to her parents and tell them they're trying to do blah blah but she didn't she went to a hotel three separate times with three separate customers so for you to dismiss the possibility that she is a young prostitute is hiding your head in the sand

That's your Mo when you can't win, resort to personal attacks. Very classy. Are you saying that it's impossible that she could be a teenage prostitute? Because I've heard from some teachers in Japan that their students have been in trouble for just that.

Or maybe it's true that every woman involved in porn and prostitution Japan is a victim. Nobody's doing it for the money, or because they enjoy the work.

You can huff and puff, stamp your feet, deny until you're blue in the face, and argue for arguing's sake, but your opinion is still only that.

And I never said that any girl involved in prostitution does it willingly. But again, you said that I did. Once again putting words in my mouth and then commenting on them as if it was me who said them. You need to get a new hobby.

Did I say don't believe her (or any potential victims for that matter) no, but don't believe her simply because she said so. Do a complete investigation.

And why did they so easily admit to the charges? Perhaps because they know not much will happen to them. So admitting to the charges just allowed them to go home more quickly.

Attitudes like mine I have to give you that one. But by no means are those attitudes always incorrect. And if they're not always incorrect, there must be times when they are correct, and if there are times when they are correct, then it is a possibility that this girl is lying to cover her arse. But there will be no follow-up story, because JT will never run a story which impunes the virtue of a teenage girl.

And I haven't accused anyone of being irrational, but you just did.

@ seven seas - the article states that the police said the boys admitted to the charges because they used Twitter to find her customers, not that they forced her to have sex.

Nice try blaming me for the Under reporting of assault cases.

Victim or co-conspirator? We should just take her word for it, because she said so.

So whenever a woman makes a claim, we should believe her. Because God knows women, especially kids, never lie about anything for any reason.

Did I say she's definitely doing it willingly? No, but you said that I said that. You often put words in people's mouths and then comment on them as if that person had said it.

What, we're not allowed to discuss opinions in an open forum? Must I have forensic evidence and signed witness affidavits?

Forced? I doubt it. More likely she claimed being forced after her family found out.

If she had three male customers, she should have claimed being forced after the first one. Why wait until after 3? Because she still couldn't get enough for that LV bag after the boy-pimps took their cut.

Someone has it out for this team. Often scandals, disciplinary problems and the like come out at this time of year against teams that are in serious contention for winning their prefecture's place in the annual summer tournament.

Koryo is one of those teams, and now because of this scandal, and crime, the team will not participate or it will withdraw, from the tournament, because of these idiots.

The boys are off the team, but because they "were" members, the rest will have to suffer as well.

Welcome to the world of Japanese HS sports.

Boys will be boys.