TOKYO (TR) – On February 10, a girl, wanting nervous in a black go well with, appeared on the Tokyo District Court.
Ai Tano, 21, was an worker at a so-called “girl’s bar” in Ikebukuro. Together with supervisor Maoya Suzuki, 39, she allegedly pressured a former feminine worker in her 20s to interact in prostitution.
When she was taken into custody by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department final October, she had shoulder-length brown hair. However, on this present day, her hair was brief, styled in a bob and dyed black.
During the listening to, new information had been revealed, together with the truth that Tano and Suzuki had been in a relationship whereas the crime was dedicated, studies News Post Seven (Feb. 14).
“Engage in prostitution”
At the choose’s urging, the defendant took the witness stand. Standing at consideration along with her again and arms straight, she said her date of beginning and registered domicile.
The prosecutor then learn out the indictment: “At the time, the defendant was working as a manager at a girls’ bar in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. Between May 15 and July 11, 2025, she conspired with the bar manager, Maoya Suzuki, 39, to force the female victim to live in the bar and engage in prostitution with an unspecified number of men on the streets of Shinjuku Ward’s Okubo Park and other areas.”
The defendant admitted that the indictment was “not wrong.” As effectively, her lawyer didn’t contest the costs.
“Began a relationship”
Referred to as a lady’s bar, Suzuki’s institution — E-Wave Morning — offered companies just like these on supply at a hostess membership. It was situated close to JR Ikebukuro Station.
According to prosecutors, Tano started working at bar rented by Suzuki round April 2023. She dropped out of college after becoming a member of.
A supply near the bar on the time tells News Post Seven, “I recall Tano joining the bar about three years ago. She’d just moved from the countryside. For the first year or so, she was a simple, nice girl. She’d even remembered the birthdays of the female night staff and regulars, and made a point of showing up. But the following year, she completely changed.”
At first, she solely served prospects and solicited them alongside the opposite staff, however the next yr she grew to become a supervisor, overseeing worker attendance and compensation. In the prosecutor’s phrases, she grew to become “the highest-ranking employee.”
The prosecutor continued: “The defendant also began a relationship with Suzuki in 2023.”
Peaceful days had been short-lived
The sufferer advised the courtroom, “I want not only the manager but also the defendant to be punished. I want a punishment so severe that she can’t find a new job again.”
Tano is alleged to have conspired with Suzuki to drive the sufferer to interact in sexual acts with no less than 400 prospects over the course of three months.
The sufferer began working on the bar in September of 2024. At first, she gave the impression to be working with none issues. However, her peaceable days had been short-lived.
The prosecution said: “Suzuki, citing reasons such as ‘low sales,’ forced the victim to work at a cabaret club separate from the bar from the month after she joined. He made her report the number of customers she served and her salary, and collected the money she earned.
When the victim under-reported her salary or was reprimanded for her poor customer service, Suzuki would punch, kick and even hit her with a champagne bottle.
“[This was] behavior that Tano frequently witnessed,” the prosecution stated.
Okubo Park
In January 2025, Tano started to cooperate “managing” the sufferer, seemingly in response to the needs of Suzuki.
The prosecution continued: “Following his instructions, the defendant would check the victim’s interactions with customers on her mobile phone. Around this time, Suzuki told her, ‘Okubo Park is the only place you can make money.’ He then instructed her to engage in prostitution.”
Soon after, Suzuki terminated her lease on the home the lady had rented. She then started sleeping in a tiny area at the back of the bar.
The prosecution stated: “The victim began working at the bar during the day from around March 2025. She would take naps inside the bar and work as a streetwalker on the streets of Shinjuku at night. Together with Suzuki, Tano equipped her with GPS cards to monitor her whereabouts.”
She had them report her conduct whereas ready for patrons, the standing of negotiations, the names of inns and the period of their stays in a gaggle on the chat app Line. She was additionally instructed to report her interactions with prospects and sexual acts.
“I had no choice”
During questioning, the lady reportedly recalled her routine on the time.”I didn’t need to abruptly have intercourse with a lot of folks,” she stated. “I thought that if I resisted, [Suzuki] would ask me if I could make money elsewhere or become violent. I had no choice but to accept it and work as a streetwalker.”
No statements had been made by Tano throughout the trial that day. Instead, she listened intently to the prosecutor’s rationalization, analyzing the paperwork in entrance of her all through. The courtroom adjourned about half-hour after the listening to started.
Tano left the courtroom alongside an older couple, probably her dad and mom, and her lawyer. As they exited, defendant was talking with tears welled up in her eyes.