Tackling street prostitution through counseling in Tokyo

Nov 11, 2021 | News On Japan

Nov 11, 2021 (Japan Times) - November marks one year since the Metropolitan Police Department began a program to reduce street prostitution in Tokyo by connecting women to welfare counseling.

The initiative to help women in the capital to get back on their feet came as a result of realizing that exposing incidents was not enough to crack down on street prostitution.

A plain-clothed male MPD investigator strolled around Okubo Park in Tokyo’s Kabukicho entertainment district one night in mid-September. Many women were leaning on the guardrails or sitting by the roadside.

According to the MPD, most women caught for allegedly violating the Anti-Prostitution Act are not indicted and immediately resume the life they were leading before they went on the streets.

But many return to prostitution when they face financial hardship.

Recognizing that exposing such incidents alone will not lead to preventing relapses, the Tokyo police began listening to the women talk about their financial struggles and introducing them to consultation services offered by the metropolitan government or the capital’s wards from last November. The MPD also offers to accompany women to such consultations.

The department has helped more than 60 women through the initiative in the past year.

Japan-US Leaders Hold Talks, Confirm Close Coordination on China

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and US President Donald Trump held talks at United Nations headquarters in New York in the early hours of September 23 Japan time, demonstrating the strength of the Japan-US alliance and confirming close cooperation on China ahead of an upcoming US-China summit.

Typhoon No. 25 Leaves Major Rail Disruption Across Chiba on September 23

Rail services across Chiba Prefecture remained severely disrupted on the morning of September 23, three days after Typhoon No. 25 brought torrential rain to eastern Japan, with extensive suspensions on the Uchibo, Sotobo, Sobu Main and Narita lines expected to continue throughout the final day of the Silver Week holiday. Although some services have resumed and flights at Tokyo's major airports are recovering, damage to railway tracks and embankments is preventing a return to normal operations in several areas.

Seven Dead, Five Missing as Japan Begins Typhoon Recovery

Typhoon No. 25 has left seven people dead and five missing in Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures, with rescue operations continuing on September 23 as the extent of devastating landslides and flooding across the Kanto region becomes clearer, while widespread power outages, disrupted rail services and submerged neighborhoods hamper recovery efforts.

Road to Imperial Palace's Otemon Gate Flooded by Typhoon

The road leading to Otemon Gate at Tokyo's Imperial Palace was flooded on September 22 after heavy rain from a typhoon caused water in the surrounding moat to overflow.

Japan Pushes India to Final Ball in Historic Sano Cricket Match

Japan came within two runs of producing one of international cricket's biggest upsets on September 22, pushing reigning T20 world champion India to the final ball before losing a rain-shortened match at Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Japan's Elderly Population Hits Record 29.6%

People aged 65 and older accounted for a record 29.6% of Japan's population in 2026, the highest proportion among major countries worldwide, while the number of elderly people in employment also reached an all-time high as Japan marked Respect for the Aged Day on September 21.

Emperor and Empress Visit Ghibli Park

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visited Ghibli Park in Aichi Prefecture on September 20, touring exhibits that recreate famous scenes from Studio Ghibli films and posing for a photograph with the character No-Face.

Four Teens Rearrested Over Fatal Assault on 17-Year-Old

Police in Kanagawa Prefecture have rearrested four teenagers on suspicion of murdering a 17-year-old high school student who died after being assaulted in Sagamihara in August.

Why Kansai People Go to Drinking Parties

Drinking parties remain a lively part of social life in Kansai even as younger generations increasingly turn away from alcohol and izakaya bankruptcies rise at a record pace, with customers describing the gatherings less as occasions to drink heavily and more as opportunities to maintain friendships, meet new people and build connections across generations.

'Tokuryu' Criminal Gangs Target Elderly Victims with Refrigerator Trick

Anonymous and fluid criminal groups known in Japan as "tokuryu" are adopting increasingly elaborate tactics, including a scheme in which elderly victims are persuaded to hide cash inside refrigerators before thieves enter their homes, as authorities struggle to combat networks whose members often have no direct contact with one another.