Press "Enter" to skip to content

Yoshiwara soapland chain busted for prostitution; 39 arrested

Yoshiwara soapland chain busted for prostitution, 39 arrested
Riichi Hasukawa of Orange Group

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Saturday busted the operator of a chain of erotic bathhouses based in the Yoshiwara district of Taito Ward on prostitution charges, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Oct. 29).

Officers from the peace preservation division took Sun World Holdings president Nobuo Komatsuzaki, 67, whose company presides over the Orange Group’s chain of eight soapland parlors, executive Riichi Hasukawa, 51, and 37 other suspects into custody for violations related to the Anti-Prostitution Law.

All of the suspects have reportedly admitted to the allegations.

While investigating registration and licensing violations under the Law Regulating Adult Entertainment Businesses, officers entered the chain’s Asakusa Channel 11 parlor and found several women offering sexual services to male customers in private rooms.

According to police, the chain has 635 female employees registered on its books and collected 10.1 billion yen since April 2010. Promotional Web sites indicate that services are priced at 15,000 yen for the first 50 minutes.