Background and Overview of the Crackdown
On March 10, 2021, a joint investigation team of the Metropolitan Police Department and the Kanagawa Prefectural Police cracked down on a Chinese-affiliated prostitution organization that had been operating out of bases in Tokyo and Yokohama. Six Chinese-national men and women (in their 30s to 50s) who formed the core of the organization were arrested on suspicion of violating the Anti-Prostitution Act (baishun boshi-ho)—specifically the provision of premises and organized/managed prostitution—as well as the Immigration Control Act (facilitating illegal employment).
How the Organization Operated
The group recruited customers through Chinese-language-only social media platforms and review sites. Its clientele consisted mainly of men who were Chinese residents in Japan or Chinese speakers. None of the Chinese women used as workers held valid residency status, and there is strong suspicion that they were forced into the sex trade from the moment they entered the country.
One of the victims said, "I was told there was legitimate work in Japan, so I came. After my passport was taken, I had no way to escape." This is a classic debt-trap form of human trafficking.
The Need for International Cooperation
Addressing cross-border human-trafficking and prostitution organizations like this requires not only domestic law enforcement but also information sharing with the authorities in the countries of origin. The National Police Agency has been exchanging information with Chinese public-security authorities through diplomatic channels, and going forward it intends to focus on uncovering the networks on the sending side.
This article was compiled based on publicly available information and interviews with investigative sources.