„Japan ist arm geworden“: Tokio entwickelt sich zur neuen Sextourismus-Hauptstadt Asiens

Here’s the article if you guys are hit with the paywall:

> TOKYO: In the golden years of Japan’s economic boom, its men would venture to foreign shores, seeking the thrill of illicit encounters offered by women from poorer nations. But today, the tables have turned, with foreign men now flocking to Tokyo for “sex tourism” as the yen weakens and poverty rises.
>
> “But now we are seeing a lot more foreign men,” he said. “They come from many countries. They are white, Asian, black – but the majority are Chinese.” “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.
>
> The park in Kabukicho has become a notorious hot spot for unregulated street prostitution, some of which involves minors engaging in unprotected sex. Violence and harassment are prevalent, making the area increasingly unsafe — a stark contrast to Japan’s image as a safe country. “In Kabukicho, anyone walking around is approached by people trying to recruit them for sexual activities. And yet there is no effective measure in place to address this situation,” Kanajiri said.
>
> Police have been cracking down on the neighborhood — a well-known red-light district — with 140 women arrested for alleged street prostitution in 2023. “I wasn’t making enough money at the sōpurando to spend on the host. Then the host told me to work as a street prostitute near the host club. I wanted him to like me so I started doing street prostitution as told to earn money,” one testimony in an MPD report said.
>
> Miya, who uses a pseudonym, said that customers often become violent. A friend was physically beaten by a foreign customer, who demanded she return half of the money he paid because he could not reach orgasm. “We will ensure that violence does not go unchecked. To that end, it is crucial that we make it easier for related organizations, as well as individuals, to consult with the police and report such incidents,” she said during a briefing to CDP lawmakers.
>
> The woman decided to file a criminal complaint against the customer, in light of the severity of the assault, without disclosing that she was a sex worker. However, police officers questioned her instead, in apparent aim to arrest her for being engaged in sex work, said Tanaka.

> Japan has become poor.

Decades of economic mismanagement will do that to you. This is just one of the sad but inevitable consequences. Maybe it’s time Japan tried new leadership?

“and yet there is no effective measure in place to address the issue…”
I would wager what few yennies I have that a living wage for all workers would actually be an effective measure. I try not to generalize but people don’t usually engage in illicit activities when they aren’t worried about rent and food.