Overview of the Case
On April 22, 2021, the Metropolitan Police Department arrested a man (38), the operator, on suspicion of violating the Businesses Affecting Public Morals Regulation Act (fuei-ho)—specifically operating without notification—for continuing to run an unlicensed special sex-related business even during the third state of emergency.
The arrested man has denied the allegations, claiming, "I never received notice of the closure request and did not know I was subject to the regulations." Investigative sources, however, have concluded that "he operated without notification for at least a year, so the intent is clear."
How the Unlicensed Business Operated
The shop the man ran recruited customers solely through social media and had no fixed website. There are signs that he deliberately chose a format hard to crack down on, advertising it as "specializing in slim women" and "fully membership-based." The investigation also confirmed that the online advertising matched the services actually provided.
The Challenge of Communicating the Request
This case also highlighted the reality that closure requests do not necessarily reach every operator. Authorities communicate through industry associations, but unlicensed operators do not belong to such associations, creating a structural problem in which the message never reaches them.
Experts point out that "to make regulation effective against all sex-related businesses, including unlicensed operators, it is necessary to strengthen online patrols and lower the cost of cracking down."
This article was compiled based on publicly available information.