Society

Host clubs in Tokyo's Shinjuku to stop allowing customers to run up tabs

TOKYO, Dec 06 (NHK) - Operators in Tokyo's Shinjuku ward of host clubs, in which male companions entertain female customers, plan to take measures to prevent clients from accumulating excessive bills.

Shinjuku Mayor Yoshizumi Kenichi, officials from the Consumer Affairs Agency and representatives from 13 of the 18 groups operating host clubs in the Kabukicho nightlife district convened for a meeting on Tuesday.

The meeting was prompted by an increasing number of incidents involving a dubious pay-later practice at some host clubs. Female customers have reportedly been presented with huge bills and forced to work in the sex industry and street prostitution to settle them.

The meeting discussed industry rules for preventing such practices and measures for customers burdened by immense debt.

The operators of the host clubs confirmed that they would implement voluntary measures, phasing out the pay-later system from January and discontinuing it entirely by April. ...continue reading

What Is Sanaenomics?

The economic policy bannered by Prime Minister Takaichi as “Sanaenomics” is beginning to take shape, with expectations centering on lower gasoline prices and the restart of electricity and gas subsidies even as critics say the program’s substance remains unclear and insufficiently developed; framed as a successor to Abenomics with greater emphasis on growth strategy, the plan raises questions about what will change in people’s daily lives and how the administration intends to run policy behind the scenes.

Morning-After Pill to Be Sold Over the Counter by Year-End

Emergency contraceptive pills, used to prevent unintended pregnancies, are set to become available over the counter in Japan as early as by the end of this fiscal year, marking a major shift after nearly a decade of debate.

Crimes by U.S. Military Personnel Hit Record High in Okinawa

The number of U.S. military personnel arrested for criminal offenses in Okinawa has reached 77 so far this year, already surpassing the record total for all of 2024 as of the end of September.

Japan to Tighten Visa Rules on Foreigners Behind on Health Insurance

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare plans to introduce a new system starting in June 2027 that will, in principle, deny changes or renewals of residence status for foreign residents who fail to pay their national health insurance premiums despite repeated requests for payment.

New Typhoon is Forming, Okinawa Could Be Affected Next Week

As of November 4th, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced that a tropical depression near the Caroline Islands is expected to develop into a typhoon within the next 24 hours. The system is separate from Typhoon No. 25 (Haiyan) currently near the Philippines and is projected to move northwestward once it intensifies.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Ikebukuro Bar Manager Re-Arrested for Forcing Female Staff Into Sex Work

A bar manager and his female employee in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district were re-arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department on suspicion of forcing a female staff member to work under threat and violence, after previously being detained for compelling her to engage in prostitution.

13 Japanese Among 57 Foreigners Detained in Cambodia Fraud Base Raid

Thirteen Japanese nationals are among 57 foreigners detained in a police raid on a special fraud base in southeastern Cambodia, according to local reports. Footage captured by JNN showed Cambodian authorities raiding a facility believed to be used for large-scale international scams.