Tokyo police on Tuesday arrested the operator of a brothel targeting foreign visitors, marking the first nationwide crackdown on an establishment aimed at tourists visiting from overseas.
Kazuki Sudo, 54, ran a brothel under the guise of a men’s aesthetic salon called Sparaku in Tokyo’s Kabukicho entertainment district. He was taken into custody along with six other men on suspicion of violating the anti-prostitution law, according to police. Six of the suspects, including Sudo, have admitted to the allegations, while one is remaining silent.
Sudo is accused of providing three women in their 20s with a venue for prostitution between October and November last year.
The brothel advertised its services in English and accepted foreign currency, according to police. About 60% of its customers were non-Japanese, drawn in by promotions on its English website, introduction videos and street touts. The establishment saw an average of 30 customers per day, generating roughly ¥450,000 ($3,000) in daily revenue. Authorities confiscated banknotes from 16 countries, including China, India, and Argentina.
Police said that all 25 women working at the establishment were Japanese. Many were recruited near Okubo Park in Shinjuku — an area known for street prostitution — while waiting for clients, or through word of mouth from other employees.
Some women began working there to fund their own expensive interests, such as supporting underground male idols or frequenting host clubs.
