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kuchikomi

Why some mothers 'sell' their children for dirty deals

40 Comments

Japan is a “lolicon superpower” in which the rampant “Lolita complex,” the adult male fixation on preteen girls, fuels a persistent demand for, to quote from Shukan Asahi's headline, “children sold by their mothers.”

The magazine (Oct 28) tells the following stories and several others like it, but doesn’t say how many cases they represent. Are they aberrations, or more typical than anyone likes to think?

“My parents divorced when I was in second grade,” says Chisato, now 17. “Mama was in the ‘fashion health’ business. From the time I was little I wanted to be an ‘idol’, a big star. I thought mama was helping me.”

She was about 10 when mama started having her pose for photographs – in a wet gym uniform, or in panties cutting into her flesh. “You’ll be a star,” said mama, “just like [girl pop group] Morning Musume. The photos were apparently sold to a production company mama was in touch with.

“I hated it,” says Chisato, “but after the photo sessions, I’d get taken to a steak restaurant for a hamburger, which I liked, so I stuck it out.”

Time passed, Chisato matured. “Listen,” said mama, “why don’t you do enjo kosai” – a sex-for-cash transaction usually involving high school girls and much older men. “Your breasts are growing, you can’t appeal to lolicon types anymore.”

At that, Chisato says, she left home. She now lives with a friend and has had no contact with her mother in some time. But did she really escape? That sort of betrayal by the very person on whose protection a child most depends “can affect the child for life,” Shukan Asahi hears from Fumihiko Kawasaki, chief researcher at the Yokohama-based Children’s Rainbow Information Research Center.

Miko, 18, never knew her father. “Maybe,” she says, “he was one of Mi-chan’s customers.”

“Mi-chan” is her mother. Her business was "fuzoku" (erotic entertainment). She was 18 when Miko was born. Mi-chan was a shopping addict and ran up debts. When Miko was in junior high school, Mi-chan suggested she cash in on the market for young girls’ underwear. Miko balked. Mi-chan said, “It’s OK, you can sell mine. All you have to do is meet the customer and give it to him. We’ll split the money 50-50.” Customers found on the Internet would be met by Miko in a local park at night. Some came from far away, traveling by shinkansen.

One night, Miko relates, a regular customer said, “Here’s 10,000 yen” – twice the usual price. "Sell me the panties you’re wearing now.” Miko, by now used to this sort of thing, felt no disgust or fear. On the contrary, it pleased her to have a source of income she could conceal from her mother. The man came regularly and her personal fortune grew. But then suddenly he stopped coming. Possibly, Miko speculates, he was arrested. What was she to do for money now? For advice, she went to her mother, who was not at a loss. “Come work at my place,” she said. “We’ll lie about your age.”

She was 16, and was soon earning 200,000 yen a week – 150,000 yen of which, however, goes to Mi-chan. “I want to keep it all,” Miko tells Shukan Asahi, “but Mi-chan is up to her ears in debt; she says, ‘Thank you, I’m sorry,’ and I say, ‘OK, never mind.’”

© Japan Today

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40 Comments
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WOW - both sick and sad.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Can't believe what I'm reading...

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Japan is a “lolicon superpower” in which the rampant “Lolita complex,” the adult male fixation on preteen girls

And follows the stories of two prostitutes encouraging their daughters into their line of work, and it's endemic? An 'adult fixation on pre-teen girls' is called 'pedophilia' and it's a mental disorder.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Why can a story be written about them but no child services or police to protect these children?

10 ( +11 / -1 )

The abuse of children is bno unique to Japan, but any country that has these problems need toa ttend to them IF they wish to have any kind of society worth going on about. Sort your house Japan, be aleader in this terrible world that can subject children to such exploitation.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Children are dependant on their parents to care for and protect them, Therefor the betrayal of that trust should be rewarded with punishment enough to deter these abusers. and anyone even considering taking a simular path towards this sick trading of human life.. To sell the services of a child there has to be a customer market, so those that purchase or encourage the abuse of children should also be prosecuted to the full extent of the law

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Having noted the quote above in Zichi's comment I wonder if, apart from originating in "Shukan Asahi," there is any further verification of the verisimilitude of this article? Are we to believe as fact everything that is printed elsewhere?

The magazine (Oct 28) tells the following stories and several others like it, but doesn't say how many cases they represent. Are they aberrations, or more typical than anyone likes to think?

Are they aberrations in the sense that they are simply made up? It would be easy to create such articles out of whole cloth. Can we rely on Japan Today to vet such articles? Are we seeing a kind of resurgence of the defunct Mainichi "Wai Wai" column? I enjoyed "Wai Wai" but I always took it with a grain of salt. I was surprised to see Japan Today publishing similar material. Is Japan Today's "Kuchikomi" to be taken as seriously as "Wai Wai"? I am just asking so that I will know what I am in for when I click on "Kuchikomi."

I hesitate to write a comment about mothers selling their pubescent daughters when it is possible that the specific facts are not accurate; when the so-called journalists writing such material could more accurately be referred to as a writers of fiction (as I was once told by a Japanese journalist writing (fiction) for a sports newspaper).

If it were true? Whether made up or not the generalities certainly are true, at least in some cases. My reaction? "Sigh." This is the Japan "behind the mask."

0 ( +2 / -2 )

sick truly sick pedos are sick

2 ( +3 / -1 )

ime passed, Chisato matured. “Listen,” said mama, “why don’t you do enjo kosai” – a sex-for-cash transaction usually involving high school girls and much older men. “Your breasts are growing, you can’t appeal to lolicon types anymore.”

This stupid whore is a so called mother?? Telling her own daughter to hurry up and start doing enjo kosai because after her boobs get bigger, old perverted men will not be interested sexually Lolita complex fantasies with her anymore??

Very SICK and this women needs a good kick in the head! I am beginning to understand why so many kids in Japan are so messed up but this is not only happening here in Japan, as zichi points out, bad parents must be pimping their own kids for drugs back in the UK,etc..too very, very disgusting but part of our corrupt world.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

“Mi-chan” is her mother. Her business was “fuzoku” (erotic entertainment). She was 18 when Miko was born. Mi-chan was a shopping addict and ran up debts. When Miko was in junior high school, Mi-chan suggested she cash in on the market for young girls’ underwear. Miko balked. Mi-chan said, “It’s OK, you can sell mine. All you have to do is meet the customer and give it to him. We’ll split the money 50-50.” Customers found on the Internet would be met by Miko in a local park at night. Some came from far away, traveling by shinkansen.

This is one sick, perverted society, sometimes I do wonder about some of the mothers at my childrens school, they do look like they were up all night, very tired and now my brain is thinking....fuzoku?? Great! These moms maybe the local prostitutes?? What would Homer Simpson do in this situation?? Doh!!

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Many reasons for some mothers of school going children looking like they were up all night. Perhaps they were. Looking after aged dependant relatives, a sick child, working night shifts at the local factory ect, Prostitution? I take it their children are well nourished, confident and happy. If so, even if your assumptions are correct in some cases it should be obvious that it is the mother herself who is selling her body and not her daughters

0 ( +5 / -5 )

She was about 10 when mama started having her pose for photographs – in a wet gym uniform, or in panties cutting into her flesh.

@zichi

I have my doubts that this is a true story or at least 100%?

This is likely to be pretty close to 100% true, I'm afraid. Magazines depicting elementary/jhs-aged children performing inappropriate adult poses (as described above) are not just an aberration found hidden away in seedy porn shops. These magazines are mainstream in Japan, and can be found in eye-level racks at many of the nation's convenience store. If you need evidence, just google the magazine title Moecco (モエッコ).

These mothers who subject their daughters to this sort of stardom — stage mothers looking for vicarious fame and mothers aiming to finance shopping and gambling addictions — compete intensely, and will stop at nothing, to get their little ones featured among the abundance of child soft porn available in these 'prestigious' high-circulation glossies.

As a father and a non-Japanese person, I am appalled at the lack of outrage and apathy that I find among the general population toward this sort of thing. In most developed countries, it would be headline news and massive protests would ensue if a convenience store attempted to condone this sort of child abuse through the sale of a Lolita magazine like Moecco.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Okay, so maybe the facts in this story aren't true...who knows. But, I do know that there was a story in the crime section last week that was similar to this, the girl was going to "juvie".

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Woman prostitutes daughter to 72-year-old man for years before discovery CRIME OCT. 05, 2011 - 10:06AM JST ( 66 )NAGANO — A 45-year-old woman has been arrested for prostituting her underage daughter to a 72-year-old man in Nagano, police said Tuesday.

According to police, the woman took her daughter to a hotel where the “transactions” took place. NTV reported that the woman is believed to have received 20,000-30,000 yen each time. Although her current age is unclear, the girl is believed to have been a pre-teen or teenager when she was first sold to the man.

It is believed the pair met several years ago through a mutual acquaintance, following which the woman entered into a sexual relationship with the man herself, NTV reported.

The crime was discovered after a tip-off came from the girl’s school. Police said the woman had been selling her daughter to the man for sex for several years.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

dude, this is old news, I wrote about this in my book from 2009. this has been going on since forever. just one of the strange aspects about japan.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Being a parent is a privilege, not a right. There should world-wide sterilisation, only reversible on proving that you are stable (in terms of finances, relationship and psychologically) enough to have a child. People who have children to sell to fund their shopping sprees, or have more children than they can afford should be taken out back and quietly shot.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

This is sick!! And the lame Japanese government does?? Nothing to help young parents!! More financial help etc to prevent parents from doing this but also for allowing Moeka?? Type of magazines and Internet sights to be legal! Japan needs to self reflect big time!! $$$ can not buy you true happiness!!!!

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Hmmm...it's nothing new, but the constant mentioning of this issue means that it should be dealt with. But, considering that it IS practically the government, nothing really can be done.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Come on folks this has been going on for ages, this blurb may true, fiction or somehwere in between, but young girls are being tricked in this & worse ALL THE TIME in Japan.

In fact I remember a jt blurb months back & it was about pre-teens being photograhed in ""sexy"" poses in bathing suits, sick stuff & there were more than a few on jt defending it...............

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Defending Lolita complex is wrong!!! Imnsho!!

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Why some mothers 'sell' their children for dirty deals

Not once in this article is the question in the headline ever answered. If the answer is "for the money" -- gee thanks, never would have imagined that in a million years!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

@combinibento

uhhh, it's not a question at all. It's part of a defining relative clause: the reasons why mother some mothers 'sell'...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It is not about the all Financial Problems,... But simply those women are also admitted to Lolicon Complex , This Culture made them Enjoy and Love for it,

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@bentheredonethat

Uhhh, OK, then it does not give "the reasons why mother some mothers 'sell'..." Can you identify any such reasons in this article? This is lousy journalism seeing as how not a single mother was even interviewed. But then again Shukan Asahi isn't exactly The New Yorker.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

These problems exist because society at large (at least 95%+) only cares about themselves. Compassion and empathy shown to those outside of their immediate family is extremely rare.

Typical scenario (image the above article was just shown on NHK News).

"kawaiso"... "Right what's for dinner tonight'? (a.k.a not my problem so I don't care).

1 ( +1 / -0 )

High pay, flexible hours. Very few jobs are like this, and this is what happens.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The lie is the slant the mothers - women - are the suppliers here. Women or foreigners are always to blame for societies problems in the Japanese press.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@Scott - and don't forget the "unemployed".

1 ( +1 / -0 )

These stories are salacious, but I think it's important to keep in mind that they are just titillating fiction for cheap entertainment during a commute, perhaps to or from one's place of work. The myth of girls selling their panties in Japan has been an Internet urban legend for some time, but as any Japanese person can tell you, this sort of thing does not go on in Japan. Children in Japan are raised to have much higher moral values than what one would think from reading entertainment articles such as this one.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

My guess J4P4N...is just trying to use sarcasm?? Prostitution here in Japan and in all of the world is the oldest profession out there, always has and always will, PS go into a back street of Kabukicho, pick all the USED undies from elementary to university level female students, this is the land o HENTAIS, Lolita Complex heaven, JAPAN!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

These stories are salacious, but I think it's important to keep in mind that they are just titillating fiction for cheap entertainment during a commute, perhaps to or from one's place of work. The myth of girls selling their panties in Japan has been an Internet urban legend for some time, but as any Japanese person can tell you, this sort of thing does not go on in Japan. Children in Japan are raised to have much higher moral values than what one would think from reading entertainment articles such as this one.

Ah, that's good to hear! That means the story the other day about the 17-year-old girl who was strangled in a Osaka love hotel was pure fiction, right?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

EDIT: It was an Osaka love hotel. Mods, feel free to edit my previous post to reflect this.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Fadamor, I am sure the mods are way to busy to give a hoot about your huge mistake there A Osaka love hotel vs. An Osaka love hotel, we all get the picture. But the point is, young children in Japan, many young girls ARE BEING SEXUALLY EXPLOITED 24/7 Japan needs to self reflect big time. Such a rich country $$$$ if we talk about cars, clothes, etc..in Japan, but the KOKORO?? For me, Japan is a moral wasteland, too many people have no idea what is really good and what is really bad, as long as you get $$$$$$$$$ many people really do not care if they have to have sex with an old fart oyaji or with a dog, pig etc..as long as you get your $$$$ so we have so many sick, twisted perverted lost souls here on the J islands and well OSAKA is just the tip of the ice berg.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Is this even a news article? I am not saying the information and stories are true or false, but what are we reading here? It just sounds like a bunch of random stories put together with no legit sources at all.

As for the women in the stories, I wouldn't condone any of their actions, but they seem to be making money their own way. They are old enough to make thier own decisions, just please someone get their children the hell away from them!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Those of you that "can't believe" this article are looking through rose colored glasses. Just take a walk through Akihabara some day and you get an idea of how many weirdos there are in this country. I'm not saying Japan has a monopoly on wierdos but it definitely has its fair share.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Geez, and I used to love Akihabara but because it had such cool electronics! Never knew the underside of it and frankly have NO INTEREST in what idiot hentais are up to there in Akihabara etc..

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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