The Survival of Philippine Hostess Clubs in Japan: An Ethnographic Research After 2005 Tightening of Entertainment Visa Issuance

Abstract

As Southeast Asian countries were integrated into the international tourism market in the 1960s, commercial sex work expanded, with migrant women entering as sex workers. Governments have attempted to regulate such sex industry and linked migration, but full elimination has been challenging, and the sex industry continues to thrive in many places. In response to this situation, this report explores how enforcing specific regulations impacts the nature of the sex industry. Previous studies of sex tourism and human trafficking have focused on controlling prostitution and addressing human rights violations, but have rarely asked how such laws and regulations would change the sex industry itself. In this report, this point will be discussed from the case of Philippine hostess clubs in Japan following the 2005 tightening of entertainment visa issuance. The analysis primarily relies on data from participant observation conducted at a Philippine hostess club in city A, Kanagawa since April 2022, the findings are as follows. First, The tightening control over the Entertainment Businesses Law, implemented simultaneously with the visa restrictions, eliminated illegal prostitution while allowing hostess clubs to operate legally, providing Filipino women with employment opportunities. Secondly, the tightened visa issuance disrupted the traditional migration network to hostess clubs in Japan. As a result, to comply with the law, hostess clubs started hiring former indentured workers, who had become permanent residents, as well as Japanese spouses, as voluntary 2 employees. Third, Unlike sex work involving sexual activity, hostess clubs focus on selling companionship and long-term relationships with clients, sometimes spanning more than a decade. This emphasis on non-sexual interactions facilitated clients' sense of belonging. Consequently, hostesses and clients aged together, fostering a distinct business environment. These factors have enabled Philippine hostess clubs to survive in Japan despite attempts at regulation while changing its business model.