Overview
- Thai police said the 29-year-old mother, now detained in Taiwan, faces a human trafficking warrant and is expected to be transferred to Japan within one to two months.
- Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department already holds a warrant for the mother on suspicion of violating the Child Welfare Law and has arrested the massage-parlor operator.
- The parlor’s owner, identified as Masayuki Hosono, was further accused of operating an illegal adult business in a restricted area, with police estimating about ¥15 million in sales over just over two years.
- According to police, the 12-year-old arrived with her mother in late June, was forced to provide sexual services for about 33 days, and sought help at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau in September.
- Investigators in Japan and Thailand are examining financial flows and possible intermediaries, including reports that half of the child’s earnings went into an account accessible by her mother, as legal experts highlight challenges in applying Japan’s trafficking statute.