In Japan, there exists an occupation known as "Broker for Overseas Sex Workers." How do we know this? Because one such individual, identified only as "Mr A," is talking to Spa (Aug 24) about the current rise in demand by his clients.
"More girls who were making a living by Papa-katsu (being supported by an older male patron), or those working in the sex trade, have been going overseas to work," he says. "The U.S. is particularly popular as their destination."
According to a "scout" for sex workers, the trend for women to engage in the world's oldest profession outside of Japan picked up from about four to five years ago, but the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated this trend.
In the case of working in China and other Asian countries, travelers must quarantine for 14 days or longer. But for the U.S., if one can provide evidence of testing negative for a PCR test, entry is easier.
"For the past 20 years prices commanded by sex businesses have been hit by deflation, meaning the girls have to work longer and harder to meet expected quotas, or else face pay cuts," Mr A continues.
Another reason is that compared with customers in Asian countries, those in the U.S. do not place as high a priority on physical attractiveness.
Except for Nevada, prostitution is illegal in other U.S. states, but the brokers have no difficulty arranging for their wards to work in major cities on the eastern and western seaboards, such as New York, Washington and Los Angeles.
Typically an "in call" system is used, where the Johns come to the woman's hotel room. For this to work, the broker makes arrangements with hotel operators.
Depending on the length of the course, from 30 to 120 minutes, the girls' remuneration is said to range from $140 to $200. Beyond the basic roll in the hay, other services are available for an additional outlay.
On a good day, the woman may service between six to 10 men.
Payment is typically made in U.S. greenbacks, but if the amount is large enough, arrangements are made for bank transfers that are paid to the woman after she returns to Japan, with a handling charge of 8% to 10% deducted from the principal.
"We even had one gal who was a member of an 'idol group,'" boasts a person identified as "Scout B." "Those with a showbiz background are signed to a special contract, mainly just for a short term. Some girls in the top category have commanded as much as 6 million yen over a single week."
"In about 60% of the cases, the local host sets up the girls with their own customers. Another 30% are regular girls who want to earn money to fund cosmetic surgery procedures."
In terms of appearances, girls with "Chinese-style faces," having noses with a high bridge, are said to be in high demand. "The cutesy Lolita-types aren't popular," B says. Age ranges from 21, the age of consent (but may differ in some U.S. states) to around 35 years. Of course the more youthful her appearance, the fewer the conditions. I've heard even some women in their 50s have signed on."
"This year I was supposed to make my first appearance in an adult video," a 29-year-old woman under the pseudonym of Ryoko tells Spa. "But when it was cancelled, I was recruited to go to the States by a scout I know."
Over a period of 10 days, including regular fees, options, and so on, Ryoko earned 3.2 million yen.
"The owner of the place where I worked was nice to me, and none of the customers were flaky, so the working environment was good," she said.
Not all sex workers are enamored of the U.S., however. Former soapland masseuse Yuka, age 30, has been selling spring abroad for five years.
"I've worked in Macau, Dubai and Australia, but I won't be going back to the U.S. again," she relates. "It's a long trip, and there's a higher risk of getting arrested. As far as the money's concerned, there's not a big difference from the other places."
Yuka, age 26, found out the hard way about running afoul of U.S. law. Just before boarding her flight back to Japan, she was taken aside by the authorities on suspicion of working while on a tourist visa. Foolishly she had $40,000 in cash stashed in her baggage, which was confiscated. After undergoing interrogation at the airport for three days, she was given the choice of being arrested or taking a plea bargain. She opted for the latter.
© Japan Today
24 Comments
Login to comment
Express sister
Prostitution is not the world's oldest profession.
Express sister
I did not intend that to belittle sex workers, however.
NCIS Reruns
Prostitution is not the world's oldest profession.
You may be right, @sister. It appears the expression caught on after it appeared in an 1889 story by Rudyard Kipling. (In case anyone was wondering.)
gokai_wo_maneku
Many may be surprised that women in their 50s are involved. Totally-gay-gokai can tell you that in the gay world, there are what is known as "fuku-sen", which are young guys who are attracted to grandpa figures. I guess it is the same for straights.
Express sister
It's just a matter of logic.
Sex work involves being paid for sex.
Nothing wrong with that.
But, what were people paid with?
If the answer is, "fish", for example, then the profession of "fisherman" existed first.
Express sister
As a straight man, I can confirm that there are some (though not myself, owing to either an accident of upbringing or genetics) who are attracted to older people. One of my best friend's favourite expressions is, "boom, boom, there's a cougar in the room."
I do not have the honor to be gay, (again, due to an accident of upbringing or genetics) but I can assure you that we heteros are as weird as the gays, the bis, the aces, and everything inbetween. We're just not as cool. And that's okay.
Kaerimashita
Mr A sounds like a real charmer.
Also it says US is destination of choice and then Yuka says it isn't. Make up your mind, Spa.
cla68
The stories in the article don’t sound real. I suspect Spa is gaslighting it’s readers.
1glenn
A long time ago, I met a Japanese woman who was over here in the States as a sex worker. She seemed very nice, and normal. So, from my perspective, this article describes a plausible situation. However, I would say that most of the women who work in sex related areas are not from other countries, Japan or otherwise. It is just that I like to meet and talk with people, from veterans, to sex workers, to drug addicts, to doctors, and everything in between.
Danielsan
This article reads like a recruitment brochure.
The majority of prostitutes in the USA receive very little of their fee, most of it goes to their pimps who physically abuse them and get them hooked on speed and heroin to keep them working and under control.
Sex trafficking is a huge problem and it's promotion as anything glamorous is naive and disgusting.
starpunk
It's very degrading, to the 'workers' and the johns. Many of the workers are runaways who get enticed into something they will regret later. And that goes for some males too.
After Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe many women from that region were lured with promises of a better future only tp have to 'work it off' in order to get their passports back. Some runaway boys in Russia were treated the same.
When I was in the Navy everybody talked about the 'trade' in the Phillipines and the Navy Times even featured an article about Subic Bay being the 'best liberty port ever'. They have the parade of 'wares' and some sailors even moonlight as 'ranch owners'. And age limits? Fuhgeddabouddit.
It's a global trade now, one needs to look at the adventures of Gary Glitter. After he was expelled from Vietnam for sex crimes he was placed under permanent UK house arrest with NO telephone, TV or internet access.
And need I mention the case of R Kelly? He's got federal sex crime charges out the yinyang and his trials have just started.
Iron Lad
Such a disgusting thing.
asiafriend
>
kurisupisu
I know a girl at it here in the UK and yes she is Japanese…
NCIS Reruns
As far as I am aware, the yellow pages section of the telephone directory in every major city in the US has one, or several, pages of listings and advertisements for Escort Services. Which state they accept all major credit cards. What do you suppose these services entail, if not sex?
William Bjornson
I wonder how many "hard-up" Western sex workers come to Japan...wasn't there an exposé story about a Japanese businessman a short time ago?
oldman_13
Sad and hard life for these ladies. It is a world of sexual exploitation and violence, not the rosy picture the media portrays it to be. Prostitution is hardly a victimless crime.
Jtsnose
Hope this story does not go viral . . . .
myczxr
well, that was depressing
Septim Dynasty
The economic decline of Japan finally forces Japanese people to go outside to scavenge some incomes. The story is a depressing one on the ever-declining state of Japanese civilization.