COVID-19 and the Sex Industry
In March 2020, as the number of domestic coronavirus (COVID-19) cases surged, Tokyo, Osaka, and other prefectures moved in earnest to ask customer-facing businesses broadly to voluntarily suspend operations. Sex establishments were naturally among those covered, but because these were "requests" with no legal force, the response was left to each establishment's own judgment.
Response from Industry Groups
In mid-March, an industry association representing sex-business operators issued a notice to member establishments asking for "cooperation in preventing the spread of infection." It recommended installing disinfectant, wearing masks, and strengthening ventilation. However, such notices often failed to reach small delivery-health operations and independently run establishments, and there were limits to how thoroughly the measures could be enforced.
The Legal Ambiguity of "Requests"
At this point, the amended Act on Special Measures for Pandemic Influenza and New Infectious Diseases (the Special Measures Act) had not yet taken effect, and there was no clear legal basis for governors to issue sector-by-sector suspension requests. As a result, even when sex establishments did not comply, the authorities could take no direct action and were limited to seeking "voluntary cooperation."
Attorneys pointed out that "to make infection-control measures effective, a clear legal basis paired with compensation is essential." They criticized uncompensated closure requests as dealing an economic blow to operators while having only limited effect in curbing the spread of infection.
Impact on Operations
According to industry sources, despite March being a busy season, one establishment after another saw customer numbers fall to roughly 40 to 60 percent of normal levels. The drop was driven largely by customers voluntarily refraining from visits out of concern about droplet transmission.
On the other hand, some said use of dispatch-type services such as delivery health rose because they "allow customers to avoid enclosed spaces," meaning fortunes diverged depending on the business model.
Challenges Ahead
The government was considering declaring a state of emergency from April onward, raising the likelihood that stronger business restrictions would reach the sex industry as well. Establishing concrete infection-control standards and a compensation scheme between the industry and the authorities became an urgent priority.
This article was compiled based on publicly available information and interviews with industry sources.