TOKYO, Jan 10 (News On Japan) –
A frontrunner of a large scouting group has been arrested on suspicion of introducing girls to unlawful ‘fuzoku’ institutions. The group is believed to have earned round 7 billion yen by means of techniques described as akin to human trafficking.
A lady in her 20s, presently working at a ‘fuzoku’ institution, defined, “I spent around 4 million yen on a host last month. I gave everything I earned directly to the host.” According to her, the introduction to the unlawful institution started when a buddy, already working within the business, launched her to a scout.
The man arrested is recognized as Endo Kazu, who was re-arrested yesterday on suspicion of introducing girls to unlawful ‘fuzoku’ institutions in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture. Endo reportedly led a big group referred to as “Access,” which had round 300 scouts. Their methodology has been in comparison with human trafficking.
The group’s scouts would first method girls on social media and solicit them by requesting selfies. Based on these photographs, the scouts would choose from roughly 350 ‘fuzoku’ institutions nationwide, selecting those providing the very best compensation. It is believed that the group earned a complete of round 7 billion yen in introduction charges.
Searching for the time period ‘scout’ on social media yields quite a few accounts providing to introduce girls to ‘fuzoku’ institutions. These accounts span from Hokkaido to Kyushu, reflecting a nationwide operation. Behind this subject lies the rising drawback of predatory host golf equipment.
A former scout disclosed, “It was common to receive requests from hosts to introduce women to ‘fuzoku’ establishments. Some of my colleagues at the company engaged in this practice. The methods varied, such as pretending to meet by chance at a bar and befriending the women before suggesting they work at a ‘fuzoku’ establishment.”
The former scout added that hosts additionally benefited from this association, because it allowed them to trace the earnings of girls who grew to become common clients. “Many of the women were driven by financial pressures, needing to earn a certain amount each month.”
He additional revealed precise conversations with potential recruits, exhibiting how swiftly they could possibly be launched to institutions. His annual revenue as soon as reached as excessive as 20 million yen. He defined that scouts usually acquired a ten% to twenty% fee from the ladies’s earnings, so long as the ladies continued working.
In some instances, hosts themselves launched girls to scouts, making certain that girls earned sufficient to repay their money owed. In return, hosts would obtain a share of the introduction charges paid by the ‘fuzoku’ institutions.
Women recruited by means of scouts typically traveled throughout the nation to work, with locations starting from Akita within the Tohoku area to Kagawa and Hiroshima in western Japan. One girl commented, “The host would constantly demand money, saying things like ‘You’re just a source of cash to me.'”
Organizations helping victims of abusive hosts report receiving quite a few consultations. One consultant described the state of affairs as “tantamount to human trafficking. Hosts exploit women burdened by debt, pushing them into ‘fuzoku’ work to repay what they owe. This is a serious issue.”
The Metropolitan Police Department’s Public Security Bureau has arrange a particular investigation headquarters to deal with the case, marking the primary such setup in 30 years for the reason that investigation of Aum Shinrikyo in 1995.
A former scout who beforehand operated in Kabukicho, Tokyo, remarked, “I hope the bad scouts who collaborate with hosts will stop, but I doubt this business will disappear. Kabukicho is a place where people can make money, no matter what.”
Although the chief of the group incomes over 7 billion yen has been arrested, issues stay. Under the Employment Security Act, introducing people to ‘fuzoku’ or prostitution-related work to repay money owed is prohibited, but such practices persist.
Commentator Saito bluntly criticized, “They are despicable. They prey on young women suffering from poverty or low self-esteem, turning them into victims of exploitation. This scheme resembles that of a cult.”
Saito additionally famous that the media and leisure business typically glorify host membership tradition as a glamorous occupation the place individuals can obtain success, additional fueling the difficulty. “The glamorization of hosts must be reconsidered,” he emphasised.
Tanaka, secretary-general of the Parents’ Association for Youth Protection, identified, “The established scheme of recruiting women into ‘fuzoku’ through host clubs has become a supply chain feeding the industry. Urgent measures are needed to dismantle this system.”
Saito agreed, including, “This issue reflects deep-rooted societal values in Japan, where self-sacrifice, particularly by women, is often seen as virtuous. This mindset needs to be reevaluated. The idea of treating women as commodities for profit must end, not only in the ‘fuzoku’ industry but also in the broader entertainment industry.”
He additional highlighted that many victims hesitate to hunt assist as a result of stigma and worry of being judged by household or associates. Support organizations should strengthen their outreach to these affected.
In response to this ongoing subject, a proposed modification to the Entertainment Business Act is anticipated to be submitted through the common Diet session this month.
Source: TBS