With foreign tourists converging on Japan in record-breaking numbers, it probably shouldn't be surprising that more sex businesses have begun welcoming their patronage.
A reporter for Shukan Post (March 28-April 4) hopped the train to the Kabukicho adult entertainment zone in Shinjuku, where he soon observed a street tout propositioning a male foreigner. After a brief exchange, the foreigner was led to the 6th floor of a commercial building, where he was invited to sit in a poorly lit vestibule and await his turn.
The foreigner was handed a slip of paper that read, in English, "Our shop provides Japanese-style service by Japanese girls."
In February, Tokyo police announced the arrest of Kazuki Sudo, age 54, the proprietor of Sparaku, a sex shop catering to foreign tourists. Six other people at Sudo's establishment were hauled in on suspicion of violating the anti-prostitution law.
Sudo did not deny the allegations.
"He admitted to the police, 'I made it possible for foreigners to inexpensively engage in sexual intercourse with Japanese women,'" a reporter on the desk of a national newspaper relates to Shukan Post. "About 60% to 70% of Sparaku's turnover, said to have totaled around 1.1 billion yen, came from foreign tourists.
"While searching the premises, police confiscated banknotes from a total of 16 countries, including U.S. dollars, Chinese yuan and currencies from Argentina and Qatar, among others, he said.
"Sparaku opened for business five years ago, but its resurgence happened more recently, when the number of foreign tourists began to pick up," the reporter added. "Its operator came to the conclusion that deriheru (outcall sex services) to foreigners' hotel rooms were too complicated, so he decided to open a shop, where the charges for services can be negotiated on the premises."
Sudo was believed to have recruited workers from the streetwalkers who congregated evenings at nearby Okubo Park. Many of them, due to regular police crackdowns, have moved to other locations.
"From last October, patrolmen clad in red vests converged on the park every other day," nonfiction writer Mizuho Takagi tells the magazine. "Since it was easy for the girls to differentiate foreign visitors from Japanese cops, they felt safer doing it with foreigners. More girls have started working out of shops now, but when business is slow they go back to doing tachimpo (streetwalking) in the park."
One of the main factors fueling sex tourism has been the weakened value of the Japanese yen, which has made prices more affordable. A woman in her 20s who said she's been working the district for about one year, explained, "We negotiate using a translation app. Since there are times when I can make 40,000 or 50,000 yen, I definitely prefer foreigners over Japanese ojisan (middle-aged men). When approached by a foreigner I feel lucky. I've done it with Chinese from Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as Europeans and Americans."
One particular shop is said to have adopted a two-tier pricing system for Japanese and foreign tourists. A shop employee said, "It's a given that foreign tourists will be charged 20,000 to 30,000 yen. Some pimps have even been able to talk them into paying 100,000 yen for one hour."
Thanks to the internet, many foreigners are already on familiar terms with Japanese adult videos to the point they know some of the sexual nomenclature, which they specifically request, agreeing to pay additional for certain services offered as "extra options."
The aforementioned Takagi says Japanese "coordinators" have begun appearing to mediate between foreigners and the streetwalkers. To boost their commission, some demand a higher price by falsely claiming a woman had formerly performed in adult videos.
"When use of the term 'inbound' became widespread, from around 2010, sex businesses in various parts of Japan discouraged patronage by foreigners or banned them outright," said Takagi. "Such policies have clearly declined, and many places have dispensed with those restrictions."
One can easily see evidence of these changes in Yoshiwara, the 400-year-old red-light district in Tokyo's Taito Ward, where "coordinators" prowl the streets offering to steer foreign visitors to soaplands where the welcome mat is extended. So steady has been the demand of late that soaplands that refuse entry by non-Japanese are now said to be in the minority.
"I've even heard that some soaplands even turn away Japanese," said Takagi. "A similar phenomenon may be spreading to the rest of the country."
With so much action going on in the flesh trade, Shukan Post wonders if the Kabukicho shop targeted in the recent police raid might just be the tip of a huge iceberg.
© Japan Today
46 Comments
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GuruMick
Finally, a good news story about tourism !
TaiwanIsNotChina
Let's hope they can be more open in their advertising and the police can no longer find it worth their while to single out the establishments for foreigners.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Yes, I believe that is why he is there :)
tamanegi
Foreign women visiting Japan should also know of the serious dangers for them that lurk here..
https://topics.smt.docomo.ne.jp/article/nikkan_spa/trend/nikkan_spa-2074583
BertieWooster
Are they going to put a ¥10,000 surcharge on this too?
TokyoLiving
Deport those easy sex seeking losers to Thailand..
mu-da
"Since it was easy for the girls to differentiate foreign visitors from Japanese cops, they felt safer doing it with foreigners." "When approached by a foreigner I feel lucky."
Priceless quotes. No crossed hands anymore when entering an etablishment can only be seen as a welcome change.
kohakuebisu
I expect "booming" here means a slight increase in trade, and yes it is from foreign tourists. I bet the sex industry is not booming by 1990 Bubble Era standards.
A few dozen women standing by a park and one careless pimp being caught in a city of tens of millions is not a boom in my book.
chatanista
The cheap yen provides for bargain priced dining, shopping and "other" kinds of entertainment for cashed up inbound tourists. Until the yen strengthens again this is the new Thailand.
Thomas Twatt
Really?
It’s a boom boom in mine!
Boom boom!
TT
Jim
Well by this situation Japan is losing its prestige and elegance and turning into the next Thailand ( minus the beautiful beaches and lower 5 stars hotel prices )!
Kaowaiinekochanknaw
As the ancient proverb contends - Sexsu Sellzu
WA4TKG
Do yourself a favor, if you’re going to do this, go ANYWHERE BUT Kabuicho
Sanjinosebleed
LMFAO! N1 Guru that made my day!
GBR48
It used to be Japanese only in almost all establishments as the Yaks didn't want the extra hassle. I was surprised to be asked if I wanted to go in a traditional soaplands as I expected them to be 100% JP only. I politely declined, knowing how pricey they are.
The few that used to cater for foreigners were reliable, friendly and kept a low profile. Research the Japanese rules, behave yourself when in a Yak run operation and be sober. Be careful in Kabukicho and Roppongi where scams are not unknown. You are quite vulnerable when you have your kit off! Leave your cards in your hotel room and use cash.
I'm not sure this is about a cheap yen pulling in foreigners - it still costs serious money to get to Japan and stay there. You really don't have to cross international borders just for some action. More like the locals are feeling the pinch from higher prices and spending less in this sector, forcing the Yaks to break some of their own rules and bilk tourists, just as local governments are with their new tourist taxes.
GuruMick
Steve... Lets get sex off the streets and back in the home .
Ezekial , a section in the Bible, describes prostitution.....has some history.
Any other things you want banned...with threats of imprisonment ?
falseflagsteve
Guru
Not sure of the relevance of Biblical text in this matter, haven’t studied it since I was 11 and I am not religious.
Plenty I’d like to see banned one of which is pornography which is relevant to this article.
falseflagsteve
Most women involved in these illegal acts do to due to circumstance or cohersion. They have a high suicide rate and often are drug and alcohol abusers as well as victims to physical abuse.
wallace
Probably an increase in STDs.
krustytheclown
And to add insult to injury, they're eating all the rice!
stormcrow
The oldest profession in the world.
Doctors must be busy diagnosing neurosyphilis after the tourists have all flown away.
Blacklabel
Yeah sure.
the “sex trade” was booming from long ago back when it was “gaijin dame”
daikaka
It is booming because of host clubs and psudo-host clubs like mens concafe, underground bandmen, etc
You have hosts making 2B yen annually, and number of host clubs increasing by double digit % annually, and pretty much all host clubs having a staff shortage. This is the main driver of supply.
Unfortunately host clubs are so influential in Japan now that they are pretty much untouchable. The police are targeting the downstream supply, but never the host clubs, except for the small ones for show with a light monatary penalty. hosts will just push the girls to work overseas if there's not enough venuesin Japan, which is more risky for the girls.
not only that you have the large host clubs having their own han-gure groups going around extorting girls and threatening their families, but they are essentially immune from the police due to the influence they have to both government and entertainment industry
ThePunisher
@ Wallace
Baseless comment. Are you assuming Japanese "johns" are not infected with and spread STDs?
Any evidence foreign patrons of these Japanese prostitutes carry more STDs?
MilesTeg
Funny how they call it the oldest profession but in many cases, they didn't even get paid or had the freedom to leave. In ancient times they were simply slaves. The assumption is they have a choice. No doubt some do but some don't. Those who work the streets have a lovely pimp. Studies show upwards of 50% have drug addiction. Many come from abusive homes as well. The high end escort or Nevada cathouse worker is a tiny percentage in the real world. Prostitution is mainly about misery.
Japanese gov't really don't care about prostitution but if foreign clients keep increasing there'll be a sudden crackdown because it's bad for international image. Meanwhile, Japanese clients keep going to soapland.
GuruMick
In Australia, the women organised into a "Sex Workers Cooperative " type of union.
If you take away the "moralising " this could be seen as a legitimate way to earn money.
Drug use also prevalent in many other professions.
Add alcohol to "drug user " and the term applies to many.
Being a handsome man, I have never required to pay for it myself.....lol
wallace
ThePunisher
@ Wallace
Probably an increase in STDs.
That is not what I said. The article says there is an increase in the sex trade because of an increase in foreign men. More people also means an increase in STDs. Japanese men want sex without condoms.
If you use illicit sex wear a condom.
Cephus
Welcome,to all kind of Sexually Transmitted Diseases including HIV Aids virus.
noypikantoku
What the sex tourists don't realize is that, if they add 2 or 3 man more, they can already hire a Japanese adult video actress, (not the big stars) through an agent, and do a full intercourse LEGALLY. Yes it is a bit expensive compare to the prostitutes, but at least it's legal and safe from STD, because these talents are always tested. Yeah the customer might need to film the action for justification that it is for production use. But no one cares if this will get distributed or not. Again, this is a strange law in Japan.
And let's admit it, many foreign men have fetish on Japanese women. I think it is the most sexually fantasized in the whole world. So it is an unspoken truth that part of the intentions of male tourists traveling in Japan is to have a sexual experience with Japanese woman like what they see in JAV.
You may dislike this comment, but this is the reality. As long as these things I said remain facts, and the economy doesn't progress, the demand for prostitution will never go away.
MilesTeg
Do those professions have a boss that takes 60%-70% of your earnings under threat of death or violence or physically force you to work? What about the well known practice of pimps confiscating passports.
You paint a rosy picture but is it?
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/sex-workers-are-sick-of-rapes-assaults-and-want-protection-20191126-p53ebz.html
diagonalslip
tickled by all rhe inside info shared by several of our number, mostly those who frown upon such activities.... （＾＿－）
tora
Well said. For sure, this increase in appetite is the main reason for the increase in rice consumption.
MilesTeg
If you don't frown upon such activities, tell us of your personal experiences.
falseflagsteve
I agree with Miles and Wallace
wallace
falseflagsteve
We also disagree because I have no problems with prostitution and support making it legal.
falseflagsteve
Wallace
We have to agree to disagree on some things then, lol
GuruMick
Miles...I would guess most bosses , in private enterprise , make more than 60% of what an employee may bring in.
Think about it.
And having sex workers in a union is an attempt to take the industry out of the shadows.
Having men moralizing about it wont help.
Mind your own business.
DanteKH
Just make Prostitution legal and regulated. This will be a huge tax income to the budget, the women will be safe, clean and no more shaddy uncontrolled transactions.
It's a win-win. Never understood those countries that is keeping this still illegal.
DeeZee
If anyone wants to know what they means. It means getting action without using the rubber and going raw. Don't ask me how i know this
NCIS Reruns
Prostitution is, to some degree, a mirror on the economy and standard of living. Fewer women are getting married and the ones who do marry at a later age (so-called bankon-ka in Japanese). Not all prostitutes are coerced or driven into such jobs out of desperation. There's a degree of opportunism involved. There was an article in this department a month or so ago about Japanese women working as prostitutes abroad, and the dangers it entails. It makes sense that they would stay in Japan if lucrative work exists. In a way this article reminds me of what was going on here in the 1960s, where prostitution continued even after its having been outlawed, and withdrawal of a large percentage of American military except for Okinawa.
kaimycahl
Interesting a lot of comments for this article not only does sex sells it brings in comments for post
garypen
"In-and-out bound tourists" would be more accurate.
Nippon Haim
Anyone who pays for this service, especially those who travel to other countries for it are pure trash.
Speed
Since the 80s, I remember walking through red-light districts having touts constantly walking up to me and just as they are about to offer some entertainment, mutter, "Ah, gaijin da," and quickly make a u-turn. Even when I was just on my way to a regular bar or nightclub. It still left a bad taste in my mouth.
Also, when going into businesses of ill-repute, constantly being given the big X gesture upon seeing my face even though I'm fluent in Japanese because I'm Speed Racer.
These days, when those same lame punks in black approach me, I give them the finger for all the years of disrespect they've shown me.
As an aside, my pops and uncles used to tell me when they arrived in post-war Japan during the Korean War in the early 50s, there were so many establishments that forbid Japanese from going in, "No Japanese. GIs only." I guess the Japanese were getting a bit of revenge for all that in later decades. Ha, ha.
factchecker
They're desperate for our cash now. Never used to be. If you weren't Japanese you'd be going home for a hand shandy.
1glenn
Literally don't know what to say.