In Akihabara, Japan, there is a bustling hub crammed with stores that sell anything from souvenirs to manga to electronics. It is a unique trade where often underage girls dressed in school uniforms, known as “schoolgirls” or “JKs,” ply their trade in the alley, under the watchful eyes of their bosses. There is a darker side to this street, which attracts a sizeable but very specific audience.
In some instances, these cases involve men who will engage in prostitution with underage girls, either by going for a walk together, having a cup of tea, or even getting their fortunes read. In exchange for spending time with these girls, older men will provide payment.
A yearly assessment of human trafficking in Japan specifically highlighted JK walking dates, stating that they frequently serve as covers for prostitution.
In 2016, the Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, made a statement at the 31st session of the UN Human Rights Council. She expressed deep concern about the sexual exploitation and abuse of children, particularly in the business known as “JK,” which specifically targets high school-aged girls and enables the commodification of their sexuality.
She asserted, “in Japan, adolescent females excel at discovering the most effective means to address the existing problem, whether it involves acknowledging, refuting, or overlooking it.”
The fetishization of Japanese schoolgirls has steadily grown in society since the 1980s. Young girls, particularly high school students or “kosei joshi” in Japanese culture, are depicted everywhere and used to sell everything, especially in popular comic books and cartoons fostered by Japan’s JK culture.
In Western nations, the association between males and their desire for engaging in sexual activities with underage females is not a topic that is concealed, as mentioned by “Haruto Kakimoto,” a Japanese-British businessman in his thirties, who has extensively resided in Tokyo.
He explained, “It’s almost like a society where part of it is normal. You see guys reading these comic books about grown men having sex with little girls all the time on the train.”
It is important to understand that Japan, being a country with its own set of religious guidelines, has never experienced the same level of sexual liberation as Western countries. Unlike Islam or Christianity, sex was not seen as something that should be ruled or regulated. This is why taboos surrounding sex in Japan are different compared to other countries. It is worth noting that Japan has historically isolated itself from the rest of the world for about 2,000 years, which contributes to its unique cultural perspective on sexuality.
The phrase “dirty old man” that we use is not commonly used in the West, unlike in Japan. Even as people age, they do not consider it wrong to have fantasies or unusual desires. In a country where sex has never been heavily regulated, these thoughts are seen as a normal part of human life. It is believed that all men have fantasies, and therefore, there is a market and opportunity to profit from it. Hence, there are establishments and services available for individuals to explore and fulfill their desires.
Jake Aldenstein is a journalist who has spent more than 20 years investigating the Japanese underworld, as he said in a documentary while working closely with Vice News.
“I would not want to be a woman here. This society is one of the most sexist and misogynistic in the developed world. The reason for this is that the culture of Lolita exists in Japan, which is so bad for women’s opportunities and quality of life. You could encourage the kind of education that would let women think of themselves as something other than sexual merchandise to be purchased by men.”
In this sordid world of sexual perversion that caters to the desires of adult men, young vulnerable girls often find themselves caught up, all too often, in isolated places before school or home because there are no safe options available to them.
Because of the heavy focus on honor in Japanese culture, girls feel trapped and unable to ask for help from their families, preferring to face the shame of prostitution rather than disappointing their loved ones.