Exposing the tricks of Japanese bars that trick women into prostitution abroad

On April 4, Tokyo police confirmed that they had arrested four men for allegedly recruiting women for prostitution in the United States through a website called “Dekasegi Charme,” which promised women as young as 18 the opportunity to “earn tens of millions of yen a month,” the South China Morning Post reported.

Yoshihiko Usui, 53, a broker, is accused of introducing two women to prostitution in the United States last year. They were sent to work in brothels, with one said to have been paid 900,000 yen ($6,000) for 10 days of work, and the other 2.5 million yen ($16,500) for a month.

Ryosuke Imamura, 37, is accused of creating the website “Dekasegi Charme”. Authorities say the two suspects, along with two other men, arranged for about 300 women to be sold as prostitutes in the United States, Canada and Australia over the past three years. The group is believed to have earned 200 million yen ($1.32 million) through the brokerage business.

Also on April 4, Japanese authorities said police raided 729 “host clubs” in 19 prefectures late last year. 203 were fined and ordered to comply with the law, including posting prices for drinks. Five others were suspended.

Host club bars in Japan are where male staff serve, serve drinks, and chat with female customers. Also using this model, but female staff serving male customers are called “hostess clubs”.

Lật tẩy chiêu trò từ quán rượu Nhật lừa phụ nữ bán dâm ở nước ngoài- Ảnh 1. — Billboard advertising "host clubs" in Shinjuku (Tokyo, Japan) in December 2023

According to the Japan Times , “host clubs” allow female customers to experience the service without carrying cash or credit cards. Sometimes, the male staff will pay the first bill as a gesture of goodwill.

However, this is considered a trap for bars to lure customers into. Customers who are attracted will return to the bar, even taking out debt to pay for food and drinks at sky-high prices. When unable to pay their debts, female customers can be lured into prostitution to pay off their debts, with invitations of high income.

Japanese police were alerted to the brokers after US authorities discovered an unusually large number of women trying to enter the US in April 2023. The US authorities questioned them on suspicion of involvement in prostitution. US police then reported their suspicions about the “Dekasegi Charme” website to Japan.

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