Two Kabukicho Host Clubs Violated Law For Admitting Minor and Charging Exorbitant Fees

In Tokyo’s neon-bathed Kabukicho district, shimmering host clubs once promised female patrons an elegant night out. But now, their dazzling storefronts mask exploitative business practices that have left many women feeling betrayed.

According to investigative sources, the Tokyo Metropolitan Public Safety Commission is moving to suspend two such establishments for egregious violations.

In one shocking case, a host club allegedly barred an unnamed woman from leaving until she paid an extortionate tab of 850,000 yen —nearly 5 times the average monthly income for Tokyoites. Staff coerced the distressed patron to withdraw cash from an ATM to settle the bill.

Authorities are invoking Tokyo’s nuisance prevention ordinance against overcharging—the first time it will be applied to a host club. Another club faces suspension after admitting an underage girl, violating amusement business laws.

These latest penalties follow police raids last December on over 200 Kabukicho host clubs. Violations turned up in over 70% of the investigated venues, including unlawfully selling alcohol.

For many women lured by the district’s party scene, these crackdowns come too late. Deceptive drink pricing and pressure to extend stays has sunk many into staggering debt. Some even turn to prostitution out of desperation.

Yet for Kabukicho regulars, the loss of “women’s paradises” also signals the end of an era. Amusement once reigned in this freewheeling corner of Tokyo. But as authorities now sanitize its excesses, those days fade like the neon signs at dawn.

Source: mainichi