Rising sex tourism exposes loopholes in Japan's anti-prostitution law

While financial misfortunes during the COVID-19 pandemic may have driven some women to work the streets, others simply want more money to spend — or want to pay off their debts — at host clubs. | KARIN KANEKO

by KARIN KANEKO
October 6, 2024

One Thursday night in September, a park in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho district in Tokyo became a hotbed of sexual activity, with men wandering the area, eyes darting around in search of the perfect candidate with whom to fulfill their desires.

At Okubo Park, there are no pimps — just men, including foreign nationals, looking for paid sex and young women there to give it. By 8 p.m., there were around 30 women waiting to be called on.

“Are you standing?” a man asks one of the women, using a euphemism for prostitution. If the price is too high, the man will either walk away or try to bargain for a lower rate.