The problem of unscrupulous host clubs that exploit their mostly female patrons through exorbitant fees, often saddling them with debt, shows no sign of abating.

There are suspicions these rip-off establishments are linked to illegal operations and crime syndicates, as indicated by cases where customers who cannot pay their inflated bills are forced into prostitution.

The nightlife industry, along with law enforcement authorities and lawmakers, should work together swiftly to develop and implement effective measures to crack down on these unethical operations.

Many victimized customers are pushed into debt by a common method known as “urikakekin” (selling on credit). In this pay later scheme, a male host initially offers attention and companionship at a low price and then keeps providing additional and more expensive services to push up the costs. When the customer cannot settle the bill immediately, the host offers to shoulder the debt.

A Tokyo organization that supports host club victims has been inundated with more than 200 requests for consultation from victims’ parents this year alone. In one case, the charges exceeded 1 million yen ($6944) in a single night.

Some people argue that the customers themselves are also to blame for the consequences of their careless consumption of dubious services at these shady night entertainment venues. But the methods used to lure them in, such as hinting at marriage, are reportedly systematic and prescribed by manuals.

The integrated combination of selling on credit and forced prostitution, designed to burden customers with hefty debts, can no longer be considered normal and acceptable business operations.

There are cancellation provisions in the consumer contract law against “deto shoho” (dating trade), or the deceptive use of a date or romantic interest as a means to lure someone into a situation where they can be exploited financially.

However, proving the fraudulent intentions of an unscrupulous operator is challenging, and many cases end inconclusively as simply money issues between lovers, with the involvement of the establishment left unresolved.

Responding to a question about the problem at the Diet, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged to “crack down hard on illegal practices.” He signaled that plans are in the works to promote awareness of relevant laws and support for consultation services.

Last week, the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan proposed legislation to the Lower House that calls on the government and local administrations to conduct factual investigations and provide information so people do not fall afoul of these seedy establishments. Both the ruling and opposition parties should promptly consider regulatory measures while taking steps to ensure there are no more victims.

There have been cases where the act of introducing a victim to sex work led to criminal prosecution on the charge of violating the employment security law. Some experts say exorbitant billing beyond a customer’s ability to pay and forced prostitution constitute a violation of public order and standards of decency under the Civil Law, but lawmakers should rather consider new regulations to restrict the urikakekin practice.

In Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward, home to the seedy Kabukicho entertainment district, 18 groups operating 220 host clubs plan to stop using this method by next spring. While there are challenges to tackle for effective enforcement, including how to ensure that all the hosts working in the district comply with the new rule, this voluntary initiative could serve as a model for clubs elsewhere.

Police are also intensifying crackdowns on fraudulent and predatory host club businesses. The industry must realize it is facing a serious crisis that threatens to make them unsustainable unless it cleanses itself of unethical practices and dubious dealings.

A woman, whose daughter attempted suicide and remains in hospital after giving nearly 10 million yen to a host, made a tearful plea for greater awareness of the risk. “I want people to understand the reality where ordinary girls, out of mere curiosity and thinking they have a boyfriend, get trapped in serious trouble,” she said.

The presence of host clubs in nightlife districts and their underhanded practices pose risks to a wide range of people.

If there were genuine affection, such unreasonable demands would not be made. Consumer education needs to enhanced so the younger generation is more vigilant to the dangerous traps hidden behind sweet words.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 8