All things about the media, marketing, business, Japan and other musings by Mike in Tokyo Rogers.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Business Changes in Okinawa For the World's Oldest Profession
Come to think of it, that makes sense. Why prostitution - which is sex between two consenting adults - is illegal - is beyond me. Victimless crimes should be wiped from the books.
But off my soapbox for now...
Check this from Tokyo Reporter. It is a story of how the girls are hitting the streets in Okinawa as the US military moves.
With the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan City on the island of Okinawa factoring in the recently held gubernatorial election, weekly tabloid Shukan Jitsuwa (Dec. 9) updates its readership on any impact that may be in store for its surrounding red-light district. During the run-up to the vote, held on Nov. 28, in which Okinawan Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima, 71, narrowly defeated 58-year-old former Ginowan Mayor Yoichi Iha to retain his title, the magazine explains that the ongoing crackdown on shops supplying sleaze in Ginowan's Maebara entertainment area was an issue that lurked behind the scenes. For a little background, along with the Tobita Shinchi brothel quarter in Osaka, the Maebara red-light district is known for adult-oriented clubs that specialize in quickies and feature attractive prices. Since spring, police have been cracking down on establishments in the area, also referred to as "Shinmachi." Many of the shops had been operating on an underground basis.
1 comment:
Comments must be succinct & relevant to the story. Comments are checked frequently and abusive, rude or profane comments will be deleted. I’m just one of many bloggers who answer questions online and sometimes for the press. I usually handle questions about Japan, marketing or the economy, so in those areas I’m more likely to make sense and less likely to say something really stupid. If I post something here that you find helpful or interesting, that’s wonderful. This is my personal blog. If you don't like what you have read here then, just like when you go into a restaurant or bar that allows smoking, if you don't like it, there's something at the front that has hinges on it and it is called a "door."
You should talk about the problems with the abandoned (half American) kids in Okinawa. US servicemen go around marrying Japanese women, having kids, and abandoning them when shipping back to the US. As as result, close to 50% of these children end up dropping out of school. Many of them turn to criminal activity.
ReplyDeleteImagine living on base for a few years, enjoying a US education (where they don't teach any Japanese), and all the privileges that go with the territory. Then, being kicked off the base with your kids after your husband abandons you.
Forget about the prostitution issue, Mike. You should focus on why Okinawa is so screwed up...
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