Concern raised over exclusion of bar hostesses, sex workers from virus compensation

sex workers shouldn’t be allowed the same privileges in hard times like this if they chose to do the work they do

They should, actually.

No BusinessApr. 3 05:12 pm JST

They should be excluded. A girl doing delivery health here can earn over ¥30,000 per day! Soapland girls even more!

Good Point if these women haven't put money aside in case of future emergencies when they are earning such decent earnings then they deserve to miss out on Government handouts.

girl_in_tokyo,

They should chose to be office workers and do 80 hours of overtime for 450,000 yen a month like the rest of us.

So... there are only those two choices?

We're in a pandemic. People are dying. More will die. Who are we to determine who lives and dies? If we're talking about morals, I'm more morally inclined to save lives in whatever form that may take regardless of profession. Some may say that's naive. Well, I'm intentionally keeping it simplistic because, bottom line, those people don't deserve to suffer or die when the government is fully capable of helping them alongside everyone else in this country.

Vince BlackApr. 3 08:35 pm JST

Who doesn't sell themselves here? 

i was referring to those who sell themselves for sexual services in exchange for money. You somehow equate that to looking at porn? No idea, but sex workers shouldn’t be allowed the same privileges in hard times like this if they chose to do the work they do

Yeah! The women who have sex for money to make the porn that Vince watches are totally different from the sex workers who have sex for money - they don't even film it so we all can enjoy it!

And I agree - sex workers aren't human beings like the rest of us and as such don't deserve human rights and the inherent privileges that come with being a member of society. They should chose to be office workers and do 80 hours of overtime for 450,000 yen a month like the rest of us.

for those who belittle sex workers and say it is immoral...

I say working for despicable companies such as BP,Shell,McDonalds and a whole list of filthy NO GOOD companies is actually far more immoral...

Amazon pays tax? apple? Google ?

all filthy industries...but sex workers are not fit to be covered by hardship payments...oh please get off your moral high horses! wake up!

...says the guy who just belittled every single mom in the world trying to make ends meet by working at McDonalds.

for those who belittle sex workers and say it is immoral...

I say working for despicable companies such as BP,Shell,McDonalds and a whole list of filthy NO GOOD companies is actually far more immoral...

Amazon pays tax? apple? Google ?

all filthy industries...but sex workers are not fit to be covered by hardship payments...oh please get off your moral high horses! wake up!

SilvafanApr. 3 04:12 pm JST

Not just compensation but also medical treatment because they are the most vunerable!

Dozens of persons in Shinjuku’s sex industry infected with coronavirus

https://www.tokyoreporter.com/japan/dozens-of-persons-in-shinjukus-sex-industry-infected-with-coronavirus/

To be fair, Shinjuku also has many 'host' and 'hostess' clubs, love hotels, strip clubs, karaokes, restaurants and also the world's busiest station, so emphasizing 'sex industry' in the title seems a little bit weird to me. Pretty obvious sex workers were not the only ones infected, right?

Wow, I did not expect this much support for hostesses and sex workers. Strange times.

But that is your moral compass talking.

You're saying they shouldn't get taxpayers' money because their job is dirty.

On the other hand, if you said they shouldn't get taxpayers' money because they're not paying taxes...

.So by the way what makes you so high and mighty your moral compass is so perfect

i have no need for a moral compass, thank you. I’m just saying prostitutes who complain about not getting tax payer money are absurd. For once the Japanese government has made the right decision.

So by the way what makes you so high and mighty your moral compass is so perfect?

It's the high and mighty ones who usually have no moral compass. They just talk a good game.

@ rimno

Do they even pay taxes ?

No, they got a special Mizu shobai card which dispense them to pay income tax, city tax, consumption tax. They can also use it to not have to pay the mandatory health insurance and retirement insurance.

You understand, that even if these mothers choose to take the risk to play with the system, there is a limit as how much they can avoid to pay ?

Just give them the money. If you think yakuza are so cheap as to pray on this half a day worth of work at minimum salary in Tokyo, they should stop inviting them over at your party (hanami or not).

Sex workers provide the govt with money the same as any of us in society....

No idea, but sex workers shouldn’t be allowed the same privileges in hard times like this if they chose to do the work they do

Where do you draw the line? You clearly have no time for prostitutes. Hostesses not worthy? Strippers beyond the pale?

I knew a Polish girl who drank in my local izakaya with customers before taking them to the bar where she wore lingerie. What do you think?

These should just about fall into essential services in Japan.

How many politicians use hostess clubs?

More than a few I would say!

Hypocrites....

The irony is that the bureaucrats who made this decision spend a couple nights a week after work having their lame jokes laughed at and their cigarettes lit by hostesses in snack bars.

Who doesn't sell themselves here? 

i was referring to those who sell themselves for sexual services in exchange for money. You somehow equate that to looking at porn? No idea, but sex workers shouldn’t be allowed the same privileges in hard times like this if they chose to do the work they do

Vince Black: "They are quite happy to sell themselves, but complain that they’re not getting enough tax payer money?"

Who doesn't sell themselves here? And I'm with the person you quoted; I have more respect for them than any of the people who belittle them for what they do. I bet you cannot honestly say you have never watched porn. And if you have, what makes you any less amoral in your eyes for doing it?

All members of SWASH need to name their clients. That should get them the money pretty quick.

Sex workers are just like other hard working people who are trying to make ends meet. I have more respect for them than you, mate.

Yikes... someone’s new to the world... sex workers choose to do what they do because they don’t want to get a proper job. They are quite happy to sell themselves, but complain that they’re not getting enough tax payer money? Mind boggling.

LDP politicians are worried about apparent conflicts of interest if bar hostesses and sex workers are given compensation as parents unable to work because of school closures...

sourpuss: "And for those who argue that the women are poor anyway, I say yes, but oodles of women struggle without resorting to the sex industry or any other so-called black market jobs, and pay their taxes despite struggling. There is a moral difference."

Only for prudes who think working for big industry is "moral" and less "selling your soul".

Vince BlackToday 04:23 pm JST

I don't really see what theyre complaining about. they chose to do a job that throws their dignity down the drain, now they have the audacity to ask for money!? utterly shameless. if they want more money im sure they know ways to get it.

Yeah! How dare they expect help in times of crisis like the rest of us human beings. It's shocking that they think they are on equal terms as the rest of us in society. Disenfranchisement is what happens when you chose to be a sex worker, or an immigrant, or other such outsider.

This isn't fair. Sex industry is one of the biggest industries in Japan. Mizu shobai is a socially acceptable occupation here. But when it comes to handing out money suddenly these people don't exist. Double standards.

Society doesn't have much concern for their plight, and that's the truth..

Unfortunately so, despite the essential social role they have always played in every society to service unrequited libidos and thereby help to lessen violence against women, lower the incidence of DV and divorce. "Society" is just an abstraction, but hypocrisy is real, like prostitution, an innate product of our primate behavior.

Question.

Do they even pay taxes?

I doubt it.

These gals need to name and shame the politicians (their best customers)

And for those who argue that the women are poor anyway, I say yes, but oodles of women struggle without resorting to the sex industry or any other so-called black market jobs, and pay their taxes despite struggling. There is a moral difference.

Old Japanese Politician: "These girls should not get any extra compensation. I already pay more than enough! And I can't even claim it is a tax write-off!"

The whole industry is opaque and worries about the money just going to the yakuza are justified. As mentioned above some women proudly declare how many millions a month they earn. Just how do you determine who is justified in receiving cash handouts?

Too ripe for abuse imho.

Maybe the old fellas in the Diet just don't want their favorite girls taking time off.

I don't really see what theyre complaining about. they chose to do a job that throws their dignity down the drain, now they have the audacity to ask for money!? utterly shameless. if they want more money im sure they know ways to get it.

Sex workers are just like other hard working people who are trying to make ends meet. I have more respect for them than you, mate.

The government can’t be seen giving money to sex workers because the sex workers’ bosses are Yaks.

They should be excluded. A girl doing delivery health here can earn over ¥30,000 per day! Soapland girls even more!

Pimps gotta earn too so I doubt it.

Do you think ‘Abe-san’ ( the envy of the world along with Trump according to you ) and ‘Aso-sensei’ are doing a good job here?

The govt is finally stepping up, but too late. All cities in Japan should have been locked down WEEKS ago.

They should be excluded. A girl doing delivery health here can earn over ¥30,000 per day! Soapland girls even more!

These industries are absolutely enormous due to the constant demand for red-light services. The workers deserve protection as much as anyone.

Good post, cobber. Do you think ‘Abe-san’ ( the envy of the world along with Trump according to you ) and ‘Aso-sensei’ are doing a good job here?

You have become a bit more critical of the government these days.

"Not just compensation but also medical treatment because they are the most vulnerable!" Which means their clients are vulnerable as well. This includes all those guys who want to exclude bar hostess and sex workers from compensation.

I don't really see what theyre complaining about. they chose to do a job that throws their dignity down the drain, now they have the audacity to ask for money!? utterly shameless. if they want more money im sure they know ways to get it.

I hope you also condemn the MILLIONS of men who use these sex workers and hostesses daily, a good many of them married? I'd propose most of these men have far less dignity morals than any sex worker. Case in point, that now deceased dropkick who deliberately infected the Filipina snack hostesses last month.

These industries are absolutely enormous due to the constant demand for red-light services. The workers deserve protection as much as anyone.

Bugle, you could offer them your stimulus package

Ascissor, I imagine some of the politicians already have.

throws their dignity down the drain

Who cares about your opinion of dignity? Sex workers should be treated like others in financial difficulties.

The moralists against treating all people fairly in this very difficult situation need to look at their own morals.

Bugle, you could offer them your stimulus package.

I don't really see what theyre complaining about. they chose to do a job that throws their dignity down the drain, now they have the audacity to ask for money!? utterly shameless. if they want more money im sure they know ways to get it.

I can’t believe the politicians are stiffing the sex workers.

Who are the sex workers?

Sorry ladies, sex workers aren't going to get any such stimulus checks, Japan or anywhere else in the world. Society doesn't have much concern for their plight, and that's the truth regardless of what anyone here thinks.

Not just compensation but also medical treatment because they are the most vunerable!

Dozens of persons in Shinjuku’s sex industry infected with coronavirus

https://www.tokyoreporter.com/japan/dozens-of-persons-in-shinjukus-sex-industry-infected-with-coronavirus/

Sex Work and Sexual Health, or Swash.

Wow! You learn something new everyday on JT.