Legal loopholes give rise to bars, salons employing underage girls

Since last year, a string of incidents have occurred involving so-called “girl’s bars,” “ear-cleaning esthetic salons” and “thigh massages.” In January 2008, a 23-year-old female worker was fatally stabbed by customer at a “girl’s bar” in Matsuyama City.

The factor common to all three types of establishments is they do not fall under the Law Regulating Businesses Affecting Public Morals, which prohibits workers under the age of 18 from directly serving customers, including engaging in extended conversation or providing services of a sexual nature.

Spa! (Sept 8) reports that high-school girls have been flocking to such “lite-type” services—particularly during their summer vacations—where word on the street says they can earn as much as 400,000 yen or more per month.

Even ear-wax removal, however, can have its perils. A 17-year-old working at once such “esute” in Akihabara says drunken customers often attempt to grope her. “The shop lets customers bring in their own drinks, so some act like they’re in a cabaret club,” she tells the magazine.

Last June, police in Saitama shut down an ear-cleaning establishment on a zoning violation. “It was operating in a shopping mall,” says a Saitama prefectural police source. “We received information it was engaging in ‘sexual services.’ After obtaining confidential testimony from a customer, we went to court and obtained a warrant.”

The service, which had opened in May 2008, had added a new twist from December to boost revenues.

“I responded to the help-wanted ad, and went to the interview thinking it was an ordinary esthetic salon,” says a 17-year-old who had worked there. “The manager told me, ‘In addition to ear-cleaning, we also offer other kinds of things.’”

What he referred to was a “rejuvenation treatment,” a euphemism for “testicle massage,” for which customers paid 14,500 yen for a one-hour session.

In Nagoya, an “esute” featuring teens, whose ages and other profile data are displayed openly to customers, operates just minutes from the main railway station.

“I’ve kept it a secret from my dad, but my mother knows I’m working here,” says the masseuse, a girl in her second year of high school identified as C. “My allowance got cut off because of the recession. On a good day, I’ll have three or four customers and take home about 40,000 yen.”

While the girls—who wear bikinis while they work—are under no compunction to engage in sex, C says some customers become aroused and inquire if such services are available.

While C adheres to the shop rules, other girls appear eager to supplement their pay with tips. “My friend lets them grope her for an extra 2,000 yen,” she says. “She told me customers will slip the bills into her bra.”

Aside from airing authorities’ annoyance over how such questionable shops manage to skirt legal constraints, the article voices concerns that the young women who take on such jobs may find the high remuneration an incentive to turn to full-blown prostitution. Tougher ordinances, Spa! concludes, will probably be needed.

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Latest 15 of 38 Total Comments Show All

aelieth at 11:57 AM JST - 9th September

...unfortunately noborito has it right. My Japanese friends and girlfriend agree too, a good many Japanese girls are sluts. I think girls in Japan have more freedom than most give them credit for. Look at the cash these girls are making and they're willing to do extra to make some more ¥.

Society's focus on money has become a curse. Money is worth more than pride these days, so "services" are just one more way to make some quick cash, no matter what the age.
dr_jones at 11:57 AM JST - 9th September

Thanks goodness for loopholes!!!

The government is washing with dirt! Why do you expect anyone else is washing clean?!
Antonios_M at 03:20 PM JST - 9th September

I think girls in Japan have more freedom than most give them credit for. Look at the cash these girls are making and they're willing to do extra to make some more ¥. Society's focus on money has become a curse. Money is worth more than pride these days, so "services" are just one more way to make some quick cash, no matter what the age.

Unfortunately, thats right. These girls are willing to lose their self-respect and do anything just for an expensive bag they found in depaato. Materialism is really popular in Japan.
Wakarimasen at 06:33 PM JST - 9th September

This may be silly and typically Japanese, but to say that it is evil and that exploitation of women to gratify men's desires is unique to Japan is wrong.
dolphingirl at 08:40 PM JST - 9th September

What bothers me most is the young age of these girls. They don't yet have a solid sense of self. They may not even realize they are being degraded and exploited. However, the damage to their self-respect and self-esteem could already be done. It's up to the government to fill these loopholes to protect young women from this type of industry.
dolphingirl at 08:49 PM JST - 9th September

What bothers me most is the age of these girls. They probably have not developed a solid sense of self yet and may not even realize they are being degraded and exploited. The damage to their self-respect and self-esteem could already be done. (not to mention the potential dangers of harassment or stalking) It's up to the government to fill these loopholes to protect these young women from this type of industry. And it's up to parents to keep their daughters safe and away from such 'girl bars'.
AEROCASTER at 10:56 PM JST - 9th September

At what point can a person start making decisions about what they do with themselves? The law may be clear as mud, but here in Japan it seems there are many 15 and 17 year-olds who are educated and focused and seem mature enough to make decisions for themselves, and perhaps 18 and 20 year-olds who aren't. I say allow it and deal with complaints, if any, on a case by case basis. Perhaps those under 18 or 20 should need a parent to sign off permission. I suspect there will be few complaints because the actors seem willing. This is Japan, and these days Japan is starting to shed some the Western ways and morals it's adopted since the war. About time!
CultureChange at 03:01 AM JST - 10th September

Underage girls should not be involved in sexual services.....however, the rendering of sexual services (for money) between consenting adults should not be illegal. No country can call itself "free" if it bars consenting adults from willfully engaging in sex.
CultureChange at 03:07 AM JST - 10th September

The more I read this, the less content I really see what they allege. Sadly, American sensationalistic journalism has crept all over the world as normal.
Apsara at 09:19 AM JST - 10th September

This is Japanese-style sensationalist journalism.
fleetwood77 at 04:09 AM JST - 11th September

While the girls—who wear bikinis while they work—are under no compunction to engage in sex,

There's a big difference between "compunction" and "compulsion" which one assumes was the word that should have been used.
genkimark at 05:30 PM JST - 12th September

"In Nagoya, an “esute” featuring teens, whose ages and other profile data are displayed openly to customers, operates just minutes from the main railway station."

THe least they could do is provide a street address, haha!!
Klein2 at 11:09 PM JST - 12th September

Cleaning ears? Testicle massage?

Testosterone-induced stupidity should be recognized as a medical condition. It is clearly a handicap that even stupid young women are able to exploit with impunity.
diggerdog at 09:48 AM JST - 18th September

japan is all about young girls, a mate and myself went to a shop that said you could meet a japanese idol (pornstar) or something, so we thought, cool, thats sounds interesting. We went there and the place was a big store in Akihabara which sold only dvds in which 12 year olds were naked or in swim suits, some girls were younger. It was sickening to be honest. I love porn but not with kids. That stuff was sick. This was a major store, everyone knows it. Why is it still open? Because the laws here are so light when it comes to child exploitation that girls can pretty much be involved in anything from dvds to massage palors. After all those old politians have to get their kicks some how. I find it funny how they are so hard on drug taking but buying dvd of a 10yr old strutting her stuff it just fine.
boboh at 04:29 PM JST - 18th September

Oh Japan, you sick, sick country.