Japan’s huge entertainment industry employs up to 150,000 foreign women in “hostess bars” throughout the country. Many of these businesses are legitimate, but a recent report on Forced Labour from the International Labour Office explains how young women are brought in on entertainer’s visas, becoming indebted to their “mama-sans” and are threatened if they try to escape.
Thai trafficking survivor
(Yes, but) I was afraid the Yakuza would follow me and I don’t know what they look like. They mentioned Yakuza to me and this scared me.
Keiko Otsu directs the Asian Women’s Shelter HELP in Japan which sees as many as 200 women a year.
Keiko Otsu: Director of HELP
We first explain them that HELP is a safe place. If the person has been the target of human trafficking, they will mostly be returned home. We give them all the support that we can until they will return home.
Japan is taking stronger action against trafficking as the distinctions between voluntary and forced labour become clearer.
The National Police Agency of Japan has been one of the first to address the problem by training officers to identify possible victims of trafficking.
Nobuo Kikuzawa: National Police Agency, Japan
Basically, human trafficking victims are almost all made to work at sex-related jobs, so when we find and question foreign women working in these places, we are more conscious of the fact that these women might be victims.
The government has tightened rules for entertainment visas that bring thousands of women to work in the Japanese sex industry every year.
Motohisa Suzuki: Cabinet Minister, Japan
We’ve submitted to the government a revision of the immigration and sex industry laws. We’ve also secured budgets to help trafficking victims.
For victims of trafficking like this woman, HELP, whether as a law or as a shelter can’t come too soon…
Thai trafficking survivor
If I had known about the HELP shelter before, I would have come for help because I didn’t want to work at this job…