TOKYO – A 21-year-old former “girl’s bar” employee accused of forcing a colleague into prostitution and tracking her with a GPS device has told a Tokyo court that she turned a blind eye to the abuse because she had romantic feelings for her manager, reports TV Asahi (Apr. 21).
During a hearing at the Tokyo District Court on Tuesday, prosecutors sought a sentence of one year and six months in prison, along with a 300,000-yen fine and a 200,000-yen supplementary penalty, for Ai Tano. She is charged with violating the Anti-Prostitution Law.
Tano and her then-boyfriend, 39-year-old former bar manager Maoya Suzuki, were arrested last October for forcing a female employee in her 20s to engage in street prostitution near Okubo Park in Shinjuku Ward.
According to prosecutors, the defendants subjected the victim to physical abuse and confined her to sleep in a cramped backroom of the Ikebukuro establishment where they worked. Between April and July of last year, the victim was forced to carry a card-sized GPS tracker so the pair could strictly monitor her movements.
Over the roughly three-month period, the victim was forced to provide sexual services to approximately 400 men, generating about 6 million yen in revenue — all of which was confiscated by the defendants.
Referred to as a girl’s bar, Suzuki’s establishment — E-Wave Morning — provided services similar to those on offer at a hostess club.
“My body and mind were completely shattered, to the point where the idea of escaping didn’t even cross my mind,” the victim said in a statement.
In her initial hearing, Tano admitted to the charges. While she acknowledged that Suzuki masterminded the operation, she claimed she was too afraid to intervene. “I couldn’t distinguish between right and wrong. I was just swept along,” she testified.
When asked by her defense team why she never attempted to stop Suzuki’s violent outbursts, Tano replied, “I couldn’t. I had been hit by the manager myself, and when he got angry, he wouldn’t listen to anyone.”
Pressed by the judge on why she didn’t help the victim despite feeling sorry for her, Tano said, “Because I liked the manager. I thought things like this were just part of the night world.”
Prosecutors condemned Tano’s actions as “malicious,” arguing that while she played a subordinate role to Suzuki, her constant surveillance of the victim left the woman with no choice but to continue engaging in prostitution.
The defense requested a suspended sentence, arguing that Tano was unable to defy Suzuki and has since shown deep remorse.
In her final statement before the court, Tano bowed her head and offered an apology. “I am deeply sorry for causing the victim physical and mental suffering,” she said in a firm tone. “I promise I will never do anything like this again.”
The court is scheduled to hand down its ruling on May 25.
