Mother of 12-Year-Old Thai Girl Caught In Prostitution Gets Arrest Warrant

Nov 12, 2025 | News On Japan

TOKYO - The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has obtained an arrest warrant for the mother of a 12-year-old Thai girl who was illegally employed at a massage parlor in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward, on suspicion of violating the Child Welfare Act.

The case involves the arrest of Masayuki Hosono (51), a massage parlor owner in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward, for illegally employing a 12-year-old Thai girl. The girl arrived in Japan in June of this year with her mother, who is in her 20s. After introducing her to the parlor, she returned to Japan approximately two weeks later. The girl is believed to have provided sexual services in private massage parlors, serving 61 clients over the course of a month.

Subsequent interviews with investigators revealed that the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has obtained an arrest warrant for the mother on suspicion of violating the Child Welfare Act, alleging that she introduced the girl to the parlor knowing that she would be forced to engage in lewd acts.

According to a senior Thai police official, the mother is currently being held by local authorities in Taiwan in connection with a separate prostitution-related case. Investigators stressed the need to quickly resolve the case in order to protect the girl.

Additionally, senior Thai police officials have been visiting Japan since yesterday (11th). They reportedly visited the National Police Agency yesterday to confirm the girl's current situation and mutual cooperation in the investigation. Full-scale discussions also began at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department this morning (12th), and it is believed that they are discussing the status of the investigation into this case and the future transfer of the mother to custody. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department considers this to be a case of human trafficking, and is investigating the possibility that a broker may be involved.

Source: TBS

Typhoons No. 28 and 29 Bring High Waves to Japan's Pacific Coast

Two typhoons moving across the Pacific southeast of Japan are expected to remain well away from the Japanese mainland, but powerful swells could bring rough seas to a wide stretch of the country's Pacific coastline throughout the three-day holiday weekend, according to forecasts updated at 3 a.m. on October 10.

Cyberattacks Spread Across Japan

A series of cyberattacks has disrupted business operations and exposed millions of customer records across Japan, with a ransomware attack on a cloud service provider affecting 495 companies and local governments nationwide, while convenience store operator Lawson has disclosed a separate breach involving more than 2.15 million personal information records.

Japan's First 360-Degree Projection Mapping Opens in Osaka

Japan's first 360-degree projection mapping show will open at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts on October 10, transforming the historic building into an immersive world of light, music, and seasonal imagery, with organizers hoping the attraction will also help stimulate the city's nighttime economy.

Tokyo University Professor Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Tokyo University of Science professor emeritus Kenzo Soai has been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with French chemist Henri B. Kagan for discoveries that transformed scientists' understanding of how chemical reactions can favor one of two mirror-image forms of a molecule.

US Military Halts All Okinawa Operations for 48 Hours

The US military suspended activities by all forces stationed in Okinawa for 48 hours from noon on October 7, an unusual measure following the arrest of a US Marine in connection with a robbery and murder case that has renewed scrutiny of crimes involving American service members.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Most Sightings of Fugitive Yoichi Hatta Reported in Kanto

Police in Oita Prefecture have revealed that the Kanto region accounts for the largest number of reported sightings of Yoichi Hatta, a fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident in Beppu in 2022, with authorities preparing to distribute new wanted posters nationwide from November as the search enters its fifth year.