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Social Media Drives Rise in Sex Tourism in Tokyo's Kabukicho District

Foreign clients now account for about half of street sex work customers in Okubo Park as economic pressures push young Japanese women into low-cost prostitution.

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Anecdotal evidence collected by AFP suggests that increasing numbers of foreign men are flocking to Kabukicho after seeing videos on social media
Only "penetrative" sexual services are prohibited in Japan and it is the sex workers who face fines, or even prison sentences, rather than the clients

Overview

  • Social media platforms like TikTok and Bilibili have amplified international awareness of street-based sex work in Tokyo, attracting foreign tourists to Okubo Park.
  • Economic hardships, including rising living costs and declining purchasing power among Japanese clients, have driven young women to offer low-priced sexual services.
  • Foreign clients, who often pay more and do not negotiate prices, now make up approximately half of the clientele, with many coming from South Korea, China, Taiwan, North America, and Europe.
  • Sex workers face significant risks, including abuse, non-consensual filming, sexually transmitted diseases, and nonpayment, under a legal system that penalizes them rather than their customers.
  • Increased police patrols since December 2024 have scattered sex workers across Kabukicho but have not curbed the rise in social media-fueled sex tourism.