Japan Struggles With Open Street Prostitution in Tokyo: Will Punishment for Clients Be Introduced?

Ministry of Justice Holds First Review Meeting on Prostitution
"Penalizing Clients" Emerges as Key Issue

The Japanese government, which has been grappling with the issue of "street prostitution," has begun discussions on institutional reforms, including the possible punishment of those who purchase sexual services.

According to NHK on March 24, Japan's Ministry of Justice held its first expert review meeting that day to discuss regulatory methods regarding prostitution. The meeting was attended by a total of 11 individuals, including judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and university professors.

Women soliciting prostitution around Okubo Park in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, last October. Screenshot from YouTube channel TokyoYoruSanpo

Previously, the Ministry of Justice established the review committee in response to growing calls for action, as street-level soliciting for prostitution had been highlighted as a social problem.

During the meeting, the Ministry of Justice explained the number of cases handled for violating the Anti-Prostitution Act over the past three years, as well as examples of overseas regulations. Committee members pointed out that, under the current law, the clients of prostitution are not subject to criminal penalties, and suggested that the creation of such penalty provisions should be discussed. There were also calls for further discussion on the scope of regulated activities and the adequacy of the current level of punishment.

Going forward, the review committee plans to gather opinions from stakeholders, gain a better understanding of the actual situation, and develop concrete regulatory measures.

Hiroshi Hiraguchi, Minister of Justice, stated during a press conference after a Cabinet meeting, "Recently, solicitation for prostitution on the streets and elsewhere has been pointed out as a social problem," adding, "I look forward to thorough discussions based on the broad knowledge of experts."

Since 1948, several bills have been introduced in Japan to punish both parties involved in prostitution, but none have passed. It is known that concerns over privacy invasion were a key reason for their dismissal at the time.

The Anti-Prostitution Act, enacted in 1956, banned prostitution itself but did not include provisions for directly penalizing either party involved.

Instead, Japanese law targets acts that promote prostitution for punishment. Solicitation or touting is punishable by imprisonment of up to six months or a fine. Providing a venue is punishable by imprisonment of up to three years or a fine, while brokering is subject to up to two years in prison or a fine. Women engaged in prostitution may be punished for solicitation or touting, but their clients have remained exempt from prosecution. According to the Ministry of Justice, in 2024, there were 209 cases prosecuted for violating the Anti-Prostitution Act: 73 for brokering, 71 for providing a venue, and 28 for solicitation and similar acts.

Recently, there has been an increase in soliciting for prostitution around Okubo Park in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, leading to heightened crackdowns. According to the Metropolitan Police Department, 112 women were arrested on related charges last year, marking an increase from the previous year.

The majority were in their 20s, with the proportion of teenagers also rising, resulting in an average age of 25. The most common motivation was to cover the costs of visiting host clubs, followed by personal hobbies and financial difficulties.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.