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Suicide of prominent Ginza club hostess reflects economic downturn

33 Comments

On March 29 and 30, the funeral service of a woman was quietly held at an unidentified location in Tokyo. As one mourner said, “It was such a somber funeral for someone who represented this glamorous club. I heard it was a suicide, that she jumped to her death...”

Of the 2,000 establishments in the Ginza district, the number of the most upscale nightclubs is limited. In her late 30s, the deceased hostess, “Ms P,” managed a club owned by one of the top-class Ginza madams. Ms P herself was also a well-known figure, making several appearances on TV.

Ms P came to work as usual on Friday, March 27 and returned home after midnight. She leapt to her death from her apartment some time early the next morning.

The question is why Ms P chose to end her life in solitude. Some in the Ginza nightclub business say that she was distressed about her debts, meaning the customer’s tabs that she hadn’t been able to collect. She committed suicide only days before the end of the month, when all payments are due.

Very few individuals can afford entertainment at top-class nightclubs, where the cover charge alone costs several hundred thousand yen. Most of the customers expense the bill to their companies; however, the "Lehman Shock" last year and cost reduction have led to a drastic decrease in the number of Ginza clients. Popular nightclubs have closed down, while a considerable number of hostesses who are sole proprietors have incurred debts.

A Ginza hostess and friend of Ms P commented that her early death is a sad outcome of the poor economy.

© Japan Today

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

33 Comments
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Crimea river

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her early death is the sad outcome of a woeful career choice..or she just had enough of being referred to as "Miss P"

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I hear hostess club = yakuza background. I may be wrong, but doesn't it sum up? Yakuza + unpaid debts = something that resembles a suicide...

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Some in the Ginza nightclub business say that she was distressed about her debts, meaning the customer’s tabs that she hadn’t been able to collect.

With the economy in tatters, I wonder if her club was discounting the charges or still shooting for the moon.

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Suicide of prominent Ginza club hostess reflects economic downturn

I feel I should point out that suicides in Japan were about 30 000 last year after being at the 32000, 33000 level for the last decade. Very misleading headline. Perhaps when people have to struggle to survive their lives have more meaning?

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Doesn't anyone else think it's a bit messed up for partygoers to bill their company hundreds of thousands of yen for FAKE COMPANY? Go get yourself a real date, hosers....

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No offense to the lady who did not make a right choice about the right type of business. Could it be that these hostess clubs are the reason for the degenartion of the Japanese culture, while on the other hand the GDP earner of the neighboring countries that provide these services... Come on Japs, these people are taking your money and the once admirable culture away from you? You need to do something about it now.

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womanforwoman needs to get some facts straight. Hostess clubs ARE traditional japanese culture, and most of the people working in them are Japanese...

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yes, right traditionally, but then today who works there and who gets Louis Vuitton bags and channel stuff.. not Japanese, but.....

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wfw, what are you talking about? Hostess clubs have been in Japan forever and they are arguably responsible for Japan's economic success. If it takes $10,000 and some whiskey-and-water-pouring-hotties to get a $1mm deal done, so be it. Naturally, these institutions are feeling the pain in this economic environment since there are fewer deals getting done. (But I suspect this poor hostess killed herself for other reasons.)

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Refering this hostess as Ms. P who made several appearances on TV makes this sad and non-fiction story a mere fiction story.

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indeed this looks like a made up tale. theme is accurate though, clubs too dear, johns can't pay, she has stupid feelings of obligation to madam etc etc. I am have always been amazed that these madams and hostesses can indeed be famous among Ginza users.

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Suicide of prominent Ginza club hostess reflects economic downturn

What does suicide of a salaryman on the train track reflect? Why no one makes a big deal out of it...

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huh? What salaryman?

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Do they pay hundreds of thousands just to enter and companies pay? I guess some of my taxes are going to end up in those companies' hands, just to keep the circle. In the end, everytime I buy an onigiri I am contributing to keep expensive w*ores alive.

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is this journalism? where are the facts? a funeral somewhere in tokyo for an unnamed woman?

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whats her name? why such secrecy? whats the name of the club?

who even wrote this story? theres not even an writer willing to put his name to this.

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It seems that these articles never have bylines. Because if they did, you would know the names of the people who make up the stories.

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did someone really ask where the facts are for a shunkan post article? you must be new here...

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Why is this story so interesting. Gajin people can't even step into the door of these establishments. So, I am really playing s small small violin for her. Fiction Story indeed

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however, the “Lehman Shock” last year and cost reduction have led to a drastic decrease in the number of Ginza clients

lame excuse, so now its foreigners fault some ginza tart took a flying leap, who cares about these stupid hostess clubs, I hate the few times I have been dragged to BORING joints, I bolt as soon as humanly possible, thankfully its been about 4yrs since I wasted time in one, may they all disappear & soon!

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these will never disappear. its been part of japanese culture for ages. and now with male "hosto" clubs, the gender card is no longer applicable.

i just dont agree well with the concept of talking to someone then after 2 hours you pack up your sh!t and go home and never speak to that person ever again. these sort of disposable relationships are a big hit in Japan and Korea, and go hand in hand with the poor social skills of people here.

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Why all the negative comments about hostess clubs? Long and deep cultural roots, a mainstay for many Japanese salarymen who would never think to bring their frustraitions or work issues into their homes.

You may not like it for yourself, or find it 'useless' but don't judge everyone by your own preferences or cultures.

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Very sad but very, very stupid. If ever thought about suicide it would not be for something so ridiculous as a crappy monetary debt. Maybe it was not suicide and her yakuza boss killed her off?

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This is the single and most worthless bit of drivel-as-story I've ever read on JT. Sounds like complete fiction to me ...

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I said much the same thing. very poor 'journalism'.

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wibble - perhaps because these salarymen should be communicating with their spouses, not spending all their free time and money on scarlet women. cultural roots? you are kidding, right?

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An interesting and a poignant read should the unknown Ms. P were keep a journal. Surely effects of unemployed サラリーマンand related melancholy played its part.

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I have sympathy for such people who end up in these kind of occupations, attracted by the fancy dresses and seemingly wealthy men adoring them but then are the saddest victims of the whole game of irresponsibiliy and unacountability of the society.

The guys go there for trouble free/ guilt free fun...enjoy having pretty ladies around them...rack up extravagant bills to show ther manlihood..and some continue daily visits to keep up appearances and their Mojo fuelled. Some girls fall in love but are forever the mistress, never the wife - leading to deprssion. Some guys get roped in above their heads when treated as stars /studs by hostesses too ,so it cuts both ways.

What most dont know is that in top clubs (the most expensive ones) the whole traditional customer relationship ettiquette says that when the customer leaves without paying you cant "insult" them by asking for payment...a good mama-san takes it on the nose and assumes the long time and loyal customer will be good for the debt....even when those bills accumulate way beyonds their means!

A woman died, thats a tradgedy. RIP

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would never think to bring their frustraitions or work issues into their homes.

well perhaps they should? i can agree to a certain extent that one should not sh*t where one eats, but a relationship without communication is just a charade. if wives know nothing about how their husbands earn their money how can they appreciate it? likewise husbands know nothing about the work their wives do

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What most of these boorish and opinionated comments tell me is that nobody seems to be getting the bloody point of running these translations, which is to show what Japanese are reading!

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Sad story, I hope she finds peace. As for the morality of her line of work or the clubs, really at the end of the day who are any of us to judge.

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tokyocrawler: thanks for the insight into the world of hostesses. i honestly didn't know that the women have to incur the debts of their customers. that really sucks. i can see how this woman would have felt pressured. not to say that i agree with and/or condone her suicide, but i can certainly understand from her point of view how she must have felt. how sad for her.

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