In Japan’s shadowy nightlife districts, affection can come at a steep price. For thousands of women, a night of flirtation with a well-dressed host has turned into financial ruin and, in some cases, coerced sex work. Now, the Japanese government is stepping in with a revised law aimed at ending the industry’s most predatory tactics.
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The revision to the Entertainment Business Law, which comes into effect on June 28, applies to both host and hostess clubs. However, it appears to target host clubs specifically, after recent reports of female customers being pressured into prostitution or acting in adult videos to repay their debt from overspending at these clubs.
Last year, police received 2,776 host club-related complaints nationwide, with many involving women being forced into sex work to cover unpaid bills, The Japan Times newspaper reported.
Under the new rules, hosts cannot emotionally manipulate customers into spending – a common tactic – by using lines like “if you don’t order, you won’t be able to see me” or “I’ll get demoted if I don’t increase my sales, so buy that bottle of champagne”, according to media website SoraNews24.
It will also be illegal for clubs to falsely advertise – by luring customers with cheap drinks only to charge exorbitant fees – or bill for unordered food and drinks.
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A local public safety commission will instruct any club found violating these rules to stop and, if it fails to do so, it may lose its business license, according to Kyodo news agency.