Saga woman arrested for forcing daughters into prostitution

Wednesday 08th April, 09:11 AM JST

SAGA —

A 35-year-old woman was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of breaking the Child Welfare Law, accused of forcing her daughters to meet men in hotels in Saga Prefecture and engage in indecent behavior. Two men have also been arrested for breaking child prostitution and child pornography laws, accused of paying the girls 10,000 yen each and engaging in indecent behavior, police said.

Police said the unemployed mother used a cell phone dating site to find the men and drove her daughters to meet them. She is accused of taking her elder daughter, now a first-year high school student, to a hotel on the night of Feb 11, and her younger daughter, a junior high school student, to another hotel on the night of Feb 22.

Police said Shinichi Hara, a 39-year-old truck driver, is accused of paying the elder daughter 10,000 yen to engage in indecent behavior on Feb 11, and Hirokazu Asau, a 34-year-old executive at an aquafarming business, is accused of paying the younger daughter the same amount for similar services on Feb 22. Both men have admitted to knowing the girls were under 18, police said.

Wire reports

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Latest 15 of 48 Total Comments Show All

bamboohat at 03:09 PM JST - 8th April

How is this any different than the old days when poor farmers would sell their daughters outright?

Although I can't fathom how a guy would knowingly go with an underage girl, for money.

I think the two guys should face the harshest penalty. Who knows what the mom's history was. Maybe her parents did the same to her when she was younger. Rules become fuzzy when the source of your basic necesities come into question.
tokyocrawler at 03:11 PM JST - 8th April

Haha,,,yes thanks moderator..back on topic lads!

Come on people, even if you decide to be a stripper or walk the streets for money, no one expects a mum to be the instigator. The Mum is suppossed to be that last straw that may save a person from such degradation!

Some countries have solved this by legalising prostitution....

though still leaving the issue of age in this case....would it make prostitution OK as long as you are over 18?? its wrong either way.

The problem is that you do it once ,spend the money..then what? gotta do it again .and again. You become trapped in the vicious cycle and easy cash flow and thats where you go downhill rapidly.
buggerlugs at 04:20 PM JST - 8th April

To all u out there trying to sympathize with this sickening act I would like to say that of mr. And mrs. Buggerlugs couldn't make ends meet we would get a job at macdonalds or such, failing that mr. Buggerlugs would rather sell his kidney and liver than ever allow his kids to do this!! there is no justification!!
threedogs at 04:32 PM JST - 8th April

I'm not so sure Japan is so wise to switch to a jury system judging by the range of ignorant judgments being passed based on so little information...this is a JT story which often leaves more for the imagination than facts for the head.

Truly a tragic situation albeit all too familiar in today's world, the reason it makes news is that it happened in a modern developed society (which I'm betting is happening more than anyone would care to admit.) Punishment should be handed out...but let's face this is a very imperfect world...the same people calling for heads are inadvertently supporting the system that creates these tragedies

Should we also lock up the parents who allow/overlook their children to indulge in 援助交際(enjokousai), or how about drugs...what about parents who introduce their kids to drugs, or aid in their acquisition. Why not stop there how about those who force their kids to quit school and start a "normal" job...In a materialistic/capitalist society sex, good times and eventually tragedy sells (why else is this article here)...

As totalitarian as it sounds why not require a parent license, most of the world requires licenses to get married, drive a car, teach, practice medicine...(though it would never happen here where the government is begging women whom are of child bearing age to produce more children) ...I can't say it would stop these tragedies but it sure couldn't hurt improving these tragic situations
Tahoochi at 04:39 PM JST - 8th April

Dennis0bauer:

Tahoochi the future? A lot of young girls in japan prostitute themselves to indulge themselves in their materialistic needs. This is nothing new.

You're right, nothing new, but a lot of those screwed up young girls are runaways and derelicts, where the parents would not approve of them selling their bodies. Now we're looking at girls living at home and forced to sell their bodies BY THEIR PARENTS! Big difference, and if it's a trend, I worry about Japan's future.
womanforwomen at 04:47 PM JST - 8th April

I think it is time people in this country look at the definition of some of the important things in life of an individuals. To start with, family, mother, father, children, entertainment, living, relationships.... dating, faithfulness, trust.... Even animals follow certain rules and 'ethics' in their lives.. what is happening here is beyond comprehension.
BeanBagge at 07:06 PM JST - 8th April

Let's enforce a really old old old law for sexual misconduct...rubs hands together with an evil grin...wack the the tallywacker off and have done with it. BUAUHAUHAUHAUHA and why should the men be protected for commiting a crime by omitting their names...also revealing the parent's name would involve the girls' future...they were coerced, the men weren't...unless they only listen to their lust...and why do men have to get action in unusual ways...because the daily lifestyle of Japan for the majority is severely stressed out and easy to become morally unstable chasing after any kind of available release...all because everyone has to chase the yen and compete with the competion overloading work hours and no home time with family...welcome to the industrial and material age of greed.
Squally at 10:49 PM JST - 8th April

tokyocrawler: Why is prostituion so "wrong"? I understand the underage aspect of this case, which is wrong, but what about of age prostituion?
PaulieWalnuts at 11:49 PM JST - 8th April

I'm not so sure Japan is so wise to switch to a jury system judging by the range of ignorant judgments being passed based on so little information...

noone here is going to be called for Japanese jury service

Truly a tragic situation albeit all too familiar in today's world, the reason it makes news is that it happened in a modern developed society

read much history?
usaexpat at 12:09 AM JST - 9th April

Wow some more good parenting although this sick activity at least has a financial reward unlike the American mom who wanted her boyfriend to impregnate her daughter.
yawmin at 01:39 AM JST - 9th April

not surprised
ca1ic0cat at 02:21 AM JST - 9th April

Perhaps an appropriate punishment would be to send her to a soapland for a little unpaid customer bonus work. Line 'em up!
airrunwesker at 02:54 AM JST - 9th April

First of all let me say I applaud the John who did the right thing and informed the police. You are rare Sir.

So the mother values her daughters at 10,000? No one should go to jail here. ... I think each of the guilty johns should have to wear a sign that says "I like the have sex with children!" for at least a year. They must wear the sign to work, to the bars, and wear it when they visit their own families.

As for the mother of these two children... Why oh why has nail pulling gone out of style? I figure one nail for each John her daughters had to sleep with. And she must pull her own nails. And her daughters should be sent to a good college. Her mother should pay for their college. I like ca1icocat's idea of "soapland" for the mother. I understand now what that term means.
elbudamexicano at 01:22 AM JST - 14th April

It is quite sick for a parent to force their own children into prostitution, but I am sure that drugged out junkies from London to New York, from Rome to Los Angeles are no different. If you have a sicko for a parent, what else can you expect? I hope the government takes the girls away from this stupid woman in Saga prefecture.
LoveUSA at 01:26 AM JST - 14th April

i agree completely. there so many people sick people in Japan and outside of it. We have to be vigilant.