TOKYO (TR) – For decades, the Japanese tabloid media gleefully reported on the supposedly tens of thousands of Korean prostitutes who sweep into international events like the World Cup and Olympic Games in hopes of reaping big rewards.
Times have changed. Now, there has been an increase in young Japanese women traveling overseas for the purpose of prostitution to cover debts accrued at host clubs. The appeal includes the strong U.S. dollar. However, a support group is sounding the alarm, saying that not only is this “human trafficking” but many women return to Japan addicted to drugs, reports site Aera (Nov. 25).
“More and more young Japanese women are traveling abroad for the purpose of prostitution,” says 26-year-old Aoi Shimizu, the representative director of the association Japan Refuge, which supports young people in the red-light district of Kabukicho in Shinjuku Ward.
She says the most common destinations for Japanese women are Canada and Australia.
“Previously, Hawaii and the U.S. mainland were the main destinations, but the number has decreased due to stricter customs enforcement at airports,” Shimizu says.
Typically, these women are in their early 20s. They travel with the help of organizations that arrange prostitution. Once they arrive, they sleep in brothels in local Chinatowns and take on clients. The establishments are staffed by Chinese matrons who provide them with meals every day and accompany them when they go out.
While on the surface, they appear to be traveling of their own volition, in reality, their movements are under strict supervision. These women are essentially forced to entertain clients whenever they’re not sleeping. In this way, they reportedly earn substantial sums, possibly between 10 and 20 million yen over a two-month stay.
“Due to the weak yen and the tipping culture overseas, you can make a lot of money quickly. This is why young women are engaging in prostitution overseas,” says Shimizu.
Scouts introduce overseas work destinations
Shimizu assures that the trend is rooted in host clubs, which are frequented by women of all ages. She explains that the clubs are very skilled at luring women inside to spend extraordinary amounts.
“If [a woman] says to a particular host she fancies things like, ‘I want to work harder for you’ or ‘I want to have a champagne tower,’ he will introduce them to a commercial sex scout,” Shimizu says. “The scout has connections overseas. Some host clubs even have their own dedicated scouts.”
According to Tokyo Metropolitan Police, there are also criminal organizations in Japan that send women overseas for prostitution. They recruit women on social media, promising high pay and dispatch them to local organizations. Many of the women who travel abroad are reportedly seeking funds to spend at host clubs and other establishments.
Scouts introduce overseas work destinations
However, prostitution abroad can take a serious toll on both the mind and body. It’s not uncommon for women to suffer mental breakdowns while traveling.
One 20-year-old woman had a pre-existing mental illness and was taking sleeping pills. She became addicted to host clubs and traveled to Canada through a scout, hoping to support one particular host. However, she overused legal marijuana there and became addicted. She returned home in a battered state within about two weeks.
Some women have reportedly been beaten and kicked while have sex with customers, returning home covered in bruises.
“Many Japanese women can’t speak English, and they have to earn money, so they can’t say no. They find themselves in a situation where they can’t refuse even unreasonable demands,” says Shimizu.
Shimizu criticizes the practice of hosts connecting with scouts to force women into prostitution overseas as “highly planned human trafficking,” cleverly exploiting the women’s romantic feelings for the hosts and their desire for approval.
In September, a 12-year-old Thai girl was found to be working at a “Thai-style private massage parlor” in Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward. Shimizu emphasizes that Japanese women forced into prostitution overseas are also “the same kind of human trafficking.”
In June, the revised Law Regulating Adult Entertainment Businesses came into effect, tightening regulations on entertainment businesses like host clubs and cabaret clubs and explicitly prohibiting sexual favors. It also banned “scout kickbacks,” in which sex businesses pay hosts and scouts in return for introducing women to them.
Exploited Women
In late October, Shimizu and others met with embassy officials from Canada, Australia, and the United States. They explained the current situation regarding host clubs in Japan. Shimizu says that women who engage in prostitution overseas have distinctive traits, including what they are carrying and the clothes they wear. She says that sharing this information in advance could prevent them from entering the country.
“The most effective way to prevent the harm of overseas prostitution is to let people overseas know about the current situation regarding hosts and stop [this practice] at the border,” Shimizu says.
She says that crackdowns on the prostitution side and care for the victims are essential.
“Because there’s a need, women are willing to sell their bodies even at the risk,” she says. “It’s important to crack down on the customers. At the same time, it’s also important to care for women who are mentally and physically devastated by prostitution.”
