"Arrived with Mother, Woke Up Alone": Japan Shocked by 12-Year-Old Thai Girl Forced to Work at Massage Shop

This is a promotional photo from the Japanese National Police Agency and is unrelated to the article content.

A 12-year-old Thai girl who had been working at a massage shop in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, has been taken into protective custody by the police. The girl entered Japan with her mother, but was later left alone and forced into labor, a revelation that has shocked Japanese society.

According to reports from the Asahi Shimbun, Yomiuri Shimbun, and other Japanese media outlets on November 6, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is treating this case as a potential instance of human trafficking. The business operator has been arrested on suspicion of violating labor standards laws, and an investigation is underway. The 51-year-old male suspect, referred to as Mr. A, is accused of employing the 12-year-old girl at a private-room massage parlor in Bunkyo Ward last summer, making her serve customers, and using a child under the age of 15 as a worker. Although the establishment promoted itself as a "massage specialty shop," it is reported that inappropriate services were provided to some customers.

The girl and her mother entered Japan in late June on a 15-day short-term stay visa. It was the girl's first visit to Japan, and she did not speak Japanese. However, in mid-July, her mother left the country, leaving her behind. She was forced to live and work in a room provided by the business, receiving only a small amount of money for food expenses. About three months after her arrival, in mid-September, the girl visited the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau and reported that she was being forced to work, which led to the case being uncovered. She is currently staying at a protective facility and has expressed her wish to attend school. Relevant authorities are prioritizing her psychological recovery and are providing support for her return home.