"Foreign Men Flocked In, and Then This Happened"... 112 Women Arrested in Tokyo's Kabukicho: What Happened?

Street Prostitution Spreads in Kabukicho
Demand from Foreign Men Rises via Social Media

Concerns are growing in Japan as street prostitution spreads in Kabukicho, a major entertainment district in Tokyo, alongside an increase in foreign tourists. The number of women engaging in prostitution has risen since COVID-19 restrictions were eased, while demand from foreign men is also on the rise. Calls are growing in Japan to amend the current law, which punishes women who engage in prostitution but not the men who buy sex.

A street in Kabukicho, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, Japan. Pixabay

On November 3 local time, the British newspaper The Guardian examined the spread of street prostitution in Kabukicho, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, and the debate over regulation in Japan.

Kabukicho is one of Tokyo's best-known entertainment districts, drawing locals and tourists looking to enjoy food, drinks, and karaoke. But in the alleys behind its bright neon signs, women can also be found offering sex in exchange for money.

Japan has a prostitution industry centered on various types of adult entertainment businesses. However, since COVID-19 restrictions were eased three years ago, the number of women seeking clients directly on the street has increased, partly due to a rise in tourism. They are exposed to various risks, including violence and sexually transmitted infections.

Last year, Japanese police arrested 112 women on suspicion of prostitution near a park in Kabukicho. There are also concerns that Japan could become known internationally as a sex tourism destination as the slang term "tachinbo," meaning "standing around on the street" in Japanese, has become more widespread.

Recently, more foreign men who learned about Kabukicho through social media have also been visiting the area. They are reportedly using translation apps on their smartphones to negotiate terms directly with women.

Arata Sakamoto, head of Rescue Hub, a nonprofit organization that supports women in vulnerable situations in Kabukicho, said, "It's distressing that this phenomenon is changing Japan's image," adding, "This is not a problem caused by foreigners; it is a problem within Japanese society."

Japan Debates Punishing Men Who Buy Sex

Under Japan's current Anti-Prostitution Act, soliciting or touting for prostitution in a public place is punishable by up to six months in prison or a fine of 20,000 yen (about 170,000 won). Men who buy sex, however, are not subject to punishment.

Civic groups and some politicians are arguing that buyers of sex should also be held legally responsible. An expert panel at Japan's Ministry of Justice said in a report released last September that the current law is unbalanced and that buyers should also be subject to regulation. The ministry is currently reviewing the matter.

Kazunori Yamanoi, a lawmaker from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, is also calling for buyers to be punished. In parliament last year, he said, "While countries around the world are cracking down on buyers of sex, buyers in Japan are protected and can act with impunity."

AI-extracted images

Kabukicho residents have also called for measures, saying that the increase in prostitution is damaging the area's image and atmosphere. Local governments and residents' groups have been warning against prostitution through street patrols and announcements in Japanese and English, but the measures are reportedly having only limited effect.

As police enforcement has intensified, women engaging in prostitution have moved to narrow alleys around the entrances to love hotels near Shinjuku Station. Of the 75 women arrested in Kabukicho last year, nine were teenagers. According to civic groups, the average price for an hour is about 15,000 yen (approximately 130,000 won).

Calls for Decriminalization... Need for Support for Women

Some argue that prostitution should be decriminalized and regulated, rather than punishing the women who engage in it. In an opinion piece published this month in Nikkei Asia, Human Rights Watch researchers argued that punishing men who buy sex could drive transactions further underground and put women in greater danger. They also stressed that people engaged in prostitution should be guaranteed social welfare benefits, including labor rights protections and medical and housing assistance.

 

"Without help with rent and living expenses, many women will have no choice but to continue selling their bodies," Sakamoto said, calling on the government to establish support measures.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.