STATISTICS
MORE THAN 170 JK BUSINESSES, CONCENTRATED IN THE AKIHABARA DISTRICT
5000 GIRLS AGED 18 AND YOUNGER IN THE INDUSTRY
30-50 YEARS OLD: AVERAGE AGE OF JK CUSTOMERS
US $13/HR: GIRLS ARE PAID 2 TIMES MORE THAN OTHER PART-TIME JOBS
50% OF GIRLS WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE SEX WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS
WHAT IS JK?
Japan’s booming and profitable Joshi Kousei (JK) entertainment industry is one that sells access to high school girls in a variety of bizarre services; from heart-to-heart talks and going out on fun dates, to sexual services like prostitution. The JK culture started off as an innocent social activity in the 90s, where paying girls to keep you company was a source of “comfort”. Literally meaning ‘high school girl’, Joshi Kousei has now evolved into a much darker industry where underage prostitution and human trafficking is not uncommon. Yumi, a 17-year-old schoolgirl who worked at a JK massage centre, got a huge shock when she found herself being cut and dunked in a bathtub by her client till she blacked out. She is just one of the many unsuspecting innocent victims who are attracted to the lucrative pay for work that seems easy and interesting.
WHO IS INVOLVED?
These high school girls are not just motivated by earning some pocket money or sheer curiosity; many come from troubled homes and families and are desperate for attention. However, more girls from stable families are also starting to join the JK industry. One of the reasons for the industry’s popularity is the cute or “kawaii” way that the jobs are advertised online. Young girls see JK as their dream job — imagine being paid to eat good food, go to theme parks, or talk about your favourite show!
Middle-aged Japanese men who engage in these services are said to be fascinated with meeting and interacting with teenage school girls. Some customers share that chatting with them is an outlet for them to reduce the stress at work or to rekindle their youth as high school boys. In many cases however, customers seek sexual services that can turn violent, putting the girls in serious danger.
WHY IS THIS ALLOWED?
These businesses exploit the loopholes in Japan’s regulations on underage sex, which states that although the minimum legal age of prostitution in Japan is 18, girls above 13 are allowed to consent to sex. JK businesses violate the Child Welfare Act, which prohibits getting someone under 18 years to practice obscene acts, but businesses are creative, constantly bending the rules to avoid being accused of prostitution — services range from allowing men to pay to look up the skirts of school girls as they fold origami, to girls dancing provocatively behind a one-way mirror while men watch.
Japan has signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that the country should uphold its promises against child trafficking. The country is taking steps towards curbing the industry and it is reported that the Japan’s National Police Agency plans to carry out a nationwide investigation into JK businesses in 2017, banning the hiring of girls under 18.
