Torture in [Japan] [other countries]Human Trafficking in [Japan Street Children in [Japan] [other countries]Child Prostitution in [Japan] [other countries] |
Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery In the early
years of the 21st Century gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Japan.htm
Japan is one of
several destinations and transit countries to which men, women, and children
are trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual
exploitation … Most officially identified trafficking victims are foreign
women who migrate willingly to Japan seeking work, but are later subjected to
debts of up to $50,000 that make them vulnerable to trafficking for sexual
exploitation or labor exploitation. A significant number of Japanese women
and girls have also been reported as sex trafficking victims. During the last
year, a number of Paraguayan children were trafficked to Japan for the
purpose of forced labor. - U.S. State Dept Trafficking in Persons Report,
June, 2009 [full country report] CAUTION: The
following links have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in ***
FEATURED ARTICLES *** Forced Labor? Male Migrant Workers In Suvendrini Kakuchi,
Inter Press Service IPS, www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/GF09Dh02.html [accessed 16 February 2011] "While the
problems of human trafficking focuses on women forced into sexual slavery in
Japan, there are many cases of coerced male labor in the country, a situation
that still goes ignored and needs urgent attention," said Tomoyuki Yamaguchi, a counselor at the Asian Peoples'
Friendship, a non-governmental organization (NGO) supporting migrant workers. He points out that complaints by male workers sound very similar to
those of trafficked women, such as low wages, long and exhausting working
hours, and violence from their bosses.
The bulk of complaints are over unpaid overtime, sometimes running
into years, and injuries in the workplace. The counselor said many of the
workers were reluctant to confront their bosses for fear of being deported
for violating their tourist visas. Colombian Hailed as Hero in Fight Against
Trafficking in Persons Brian Kaper, The www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2004/June/20040616130952MBrepaK0.8762171.html [accessed 16 February 2011] Francisco Sierra, Sierra said the
women are told they will find a better life by working in other countries
such as Holland, Japan, and Spain, but they most often find themselves
trapped into working in brothels to pay off their so-called
"transportation" fees; such fees may total as much as $50,000 to
$80,000. Sierra said that the women are expected to pay their captors roughly
$2,000 every ten days or they will be severely punished. ***
ARCHIVES *** Hot Line Reaches Out To Women Forced Into
Sexual Slavery In Chie Matsumoto, Asian Sex Gazette, April
30, 2005 www.asiansexgazette.com/asg/japan/japan04news19.htm [accessed 16 February 2011] After the State
Department listed Human Rights
Reports » 2005 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61610.htm [accessed 16 February 2011] TRAFFICKING
IN PERSONS
– Trafficking victims generally did not realize the extent of their
indebtedness, the amount of time it would take them to repay the debts, or
the conditions of employment to which they would be subjected upon arrival.
According to Human Rights Watch, the passports of women trafficked to work in
"dating" bars usually were confiscated by their employers, who also
demanded repayment for the cost of the woman's "purchase."
Typically, the women were charged $28,570 to $47,620 (3 million to 5 million
yen), their living expenses, medical care (when provided by the employer),
and other necessities, as well as "fines" for misbehavior added to
the original "debt" over time. How the debt was calculated was left
to the employers; the process was not transparent, and the employers
reportedly often used the debt to coerce additional unpaid labor from the
trafficked women. Employers also sometimes "resold," or threatened
to resell, troublesome women or women found to be HIV positive, thereby
increasing the victims' debts and possibly worsening their working
conditions. Many women
trafficked into the sex trade had their movements strictly controlled by
their employers and were threatened with reprisals, sometimes through members
of organized crime groups, to themselves or their families if they tried to
escape. Employers often isolated the women, subjected them to constant
surveillance, and used violence to punish them for disobedience. There were
reports that some brokers used drugs to subjugate victims. Many trafficked
women also knew that they were subject to arrest if found without their
passports or other identification documents. Few spoke Japanese well, making
escape even more difficult. Anita Lienert,
Correspondent, Edmunds Inside Line, [accessed 16 February 2011] The National Labor
Committee on Wednesday issued a 65-page report, "The Toyota You Don't
Know," which accuses the Japanese automaker of using "low-wage
temps" to build the popular Toyota Prius. The report also alleged that
Toyota has "ties to Burmese dictators" through the Toyota Tsusho
Corporation. "Toyota's much admired 'Just in Time' auto parts supply
chain is riddled with sweatshop abuse, including the trafficking of foreign
guest workers, mostly from China and Vietnam to Japan, who are stripped of
their passports and often forced to work — including at subcontract plants
supplying Toyota — 16 hours a day, seven days a week, while being paid less
than half the legal minimum wage," the group said in a statement. The Protection Project - The www.protectionproject.org/human_rights_reports/report_documents/japan.doc [accessed 2009] FORMS OF TRAFFICKING
-
Trafficking in women into the Japanese sex industry first received attention
in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when Filipino women began migrating to www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/147209-Japan-Arrests-Thai-Human-Trafficki/ [accessed 16 February 2011] According to local
police, the two "bought" a 27-year-old Thai woman for 2.4 million
yen (642,000 baht) from a broker in May to have her work at Kuo's bar. They
forced the Thai woman into prostitution, telling her she owed them a 5
million yen (more than 1.3 million baht) debt over her expenses in coming to
Japan, police alleged. The case came
to light after the Thai woman sought help at the Thai Embassy in Tokyo, they
said. Thai Government and International
Organizations Pledge Cooperation to Provide Assistance to Victims humantrafficking.org, June 04, 2007 --
Adapted from: "Trading in People: To ensure adults and children
trafficked in www.humantrafficking.org/updates/653 [accessed 16 February 2011] "For example,
a Chiang Mai woman in her thirties was lured to Cops found 38 foreign victims of human
trafficking in first half of 2006 29 August 2006 -- Source:
mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20060829p2a00m0na031000c.html [accessed 16 February 2011] Activists say many
women voluntarily but illegally enter The trafficking scourge - Steve Silver, The search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20060815zg.html [accessed 16 February 2011] Urairat Soimee's journey began with an invitation from a wealthy
neighbor -- her mother's childhood friend -- in her small Thai village to
come and work at a restaurant she claimed she owned in humantrafficking.org, August 2006 --
Adapted from: ‘Slamming the brakes on human trafficking.’ Asahi Shimbun, 9 June 2006 www.humantrafficking.org/updates/392 [accessed 16 February 2011] United Press International UPI, whatsakyer.mu.nu/archives/130488.php [accessed 16 February 2011] “They know that
they can't go to the police because they have no visas," she said.
"They fear that if they are spotted coming to the shelter they will be
killed, or that their families back home will be hurt by thugs”. Japanese Police Report Human Trafficking
Victims in First Half of 2005 Associated Press Newswires. 14 July 2005 www.humantrafficking.org/updates/43 [accessed 16 February 2011] The number of
victims was three times the tally in the first six months of last year,
according to the National Police Agency report. The Switzerland-based International
Organization for Migration estimates that as many as 150,000 trafficking
victims could be working in NPA uncovers 29 cases of human trafficking,
but report says much more is needed 14 July 2005 -- Source:
www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200507140336.html [accessed 16 February 2011] The problem of
human trafficking continues on a wide scale in They have been lied
to, abused and trapped in the seedy sex industry where defiance is punishable
by gang rapes. And until recently, these foreign women were viewed as
lawbreakers, not victims. Yet the
problem of human trafficking continues on a wide scale in Thai woman admits selling girl into sex
trade The search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20050705a2.html [accessed 16 February 2011] A Thai woman in Associated Press AP, March 18, 2005 eforums.healthdev.org/read/messages?id=4898 [accessed 23 April 2012] In the popular imagination, human trafficking involves
women who are kidnapped or otherwise tricked into working as prostitutes. But
experts say such cases are rare in Internet date becomes nightmare South African Press Association SAPA, www.news24.com/SciTech/News/Internet-date-becomes-nightmare-20050512 [accessed 16 February 2011] A Japanese man allegedly chained a teenage girl with a dog collar for more than three months and repeatedly raped and beat her after meeting her in an internet chat room. Forced Labor? Male Migrant Workers In Suvendrini Kakuchi,
Inter Press Service IPS, www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/GF09Dh02.html [accessed 16 February 2011] "While the
problems of human trafficking focuses on women forced into sexual slavery in
Japan, there are many cases of coerced male labor in the country, a situation
that still goes ignored and needs urgent attention," said Tomoyuki Yamaguchi, a counselor at the Asian Peoples'
Friendship, a non-governmental organization (NGO) supporting migrant workers. He points out that complaints by male workers sound very similar to
those of trafficked women, such as low wages, long and exhausting working
hours, and violence from their bosses.
The bulk of complaints are over unpaid overtime, sometimes running
into years, and injuries in the workplace. The counselor said many of the
workers were reluctant to confront their bosses for fear of being deported
for violating their tourist visas. Human
Traffickers Sol Jose Vanzi, Philstar Editorial, www.newsflash.org/2004/02/ht/ht005052.htm [accessed 16 February 2011] Japanese Police Plan Fresh Crackdown On Sex
Traffickers Asian Sex Gazette, www.asiansexgazette.com/asg/japan/japan03news17.htm [accessed 16 February 2011] REPORT: Cable News Network CNN, www.japanaddicted.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1333 [accessed 16 February 2011] When she arrived she was raped by all three men and sold to a Yakuza organized crime boss, who branded her across the chest with a 6-inch (15-centimeter) rose tattoo. He forced her to provide sexual services to up to 40 clients a day, she said. Freedom House
Country Report - Political Rights: 1 Civil Liberties: 2 Status: Free 2009 Edition www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2009/japan [accessed 26 June 2012] Human Rights
Overview by Human
Rights Watch – Defending Human Rights Worldwide Human Rights Watch [accessed 16 February 2011] Library of Congress Call Number DS806 .J223
1992 lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/jptoc.html [accessed 16 February 2011] Human trafficking: Marwaan Macan-Markar,
Inter Press Service IPS, www.atimes.com/atimes/Asian_Economy/DJ10Dk01.html [accessed 16 February 2011] Ai, a Thai woman in
her early 30s, considers herself among the lucky ones. She was rescued by a
Catholic nun after 10 years of virtual sexual slavery in Japan. "It was like hell," Ai said of
her ordeal as a sex worker that began soon after she was trafficked from
Thailand at the age of 15. "I was dead from the first day. After one
year, I started to take drugs."
Not only was she threatened with abuse at the hands of Japan's
notorious yakuza crime syndicate if she disobeyed commands to sleep with
clients, but she was denied her promised salary on grounds that a substantial
slice of it was needed to pay for the cost of her journey from Thailand. "We were told that once our debts are
paid off, we would be sold to someone else," White Slavery - Trafficking of Asian women Suvendrini Kakuchi,
The Foreign Correspondents Club of At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 7 September 2011] Women who were
lured into the sex industry tell horrific stories of gross human-rights
abuses once they are in Human Trafficking For Sexual Exploitation
In International Labour Organisation ILO,
Special Action Programme to Combat Forced Labour
(SAP-FL) www.ilo.org/public/english/region/asro/tokyo/downloads/r-japantrafficking.pdf [accessed 16 February 2011] INTRODUCTION - AIM
OF THE STUDY
- Relatively few studies have been undertaken on the trafficking of foreign
women into The study aims to
make a contribution to understanding of the trafficking of foreign women into
Japan by avoiding generalizations and sourcing data wherever possible. It
aims to add to the body of research in Japan by presenting a clearer profile
of human trafficking: the victims, the abuses they suffer, and the deceptions
used by traffickers. It focuses primarily on the experiences of victims in
order to better understand the push and pull factors of trafficking, providing
details on both the situation in three main countries of origin (Colombia,
the Philippines and Thailand) and the social and legal factors that make
Japan a profitable market in particular for organized crime groups. Takehiko Kambayashi,
The At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 7 September 2011] Like most victims
of trafficking in humans, Mia, who wanted to help her family financially, was
told by an acquaintance in Even in Tokyo,
there are very few places victims can go for help. Most private shelters in Japan are
financially strapped and operated by volunteers and private donations. They
receive very little money from the government. The usual way Japan deals with victims of
human trafficking is to arrest them for violating immigration laws and deport
them to their homeland. Politicians and the mainstream media have long
ignored this. "It's hard to say
that the seriousness of human-trafficking issues is widely recognized in
Japanese society," said Kaname Tsutsumi, a professor who teaches sex and ethnicity
issues at Kyushu International University. "In addition, the society
casts a very cold eye on foreign women involved in prostitution." The Asahi Shimbun
-- International Herald Tribune IHT/Asahi, January 19,2005 www.asahi.com/english/nation/TKY200501190138.html [accessed 16 February 2011] The Japanese and Colombian governments have agreed on a series of steps aimed at preventing human trafficking and providing support to sex-trade victims. This is Japan's second government-level agreement on human trafficking. The first was reached with the Philippines in September. The officials explained to their Colombian counterparts about Japan's new policy of treating women duped into exploitation as victims to protect. The women will be allowed to stay in shelters for an extended period of time rather than be subject to immediate deportation. CNN Producer Paul Courson
contributed to this story, Cable News Network CNN, www.cnn.com/2004/US/06/14/trafficking.report/ [accessed 16 February 2011] Colombian Hailed as Hero in Fight Against
Trafficking in Persons Brian Kaper, The www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2004/June/20040616130952MBrepaK0.8762171.html [accessed 16 February 2011] Francisco Sierra, Sierra said the
women are told they will find a better life by working in other countries
such as Holland, Japan, and Spain, but they most often find themselves
trapped into working in brothels to pay off their so-called
"transportation" fees; such fees may total as much as $50,000 to
$80,000. Sierra said that the women are expected to pay their captors roughly
$2,000 every ten days or they will be severely punished. Deborah Cameron, Sydney Morning Herald SMH,
[accessed 16 February 2011] At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly also be accessible [here]
"Human
traffickers operating through a loophole in Japan’s Action Plan of Measures to Combat
Trafficking in Persons [PDF] December 7, 2004 At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here]
[accessed 7 September 2011] The Action Plan
clearly states that victims of trafficking in persons are eligible for
protection and calls for careful response to be made in consideration of the
different conditions of each victim, while giving due thought to the severe
mental and physical situation in which many of victims find themselves.
Regarding the penalties for perpetrators (brokers and employers, etc.), the
Action Plan calls for the criminal law to be amended, reflecting the gravity
of the crime, and for control measures to be further strengthened. The Action
Plan also aims to prevent the trafficking in persons, stepping into the
various systems and structures that may have played a part in making
trafficking in persons in Japan easier. Sol Jose Vanzi,
STAR, Philippine Headline News Online, September 9 , 2004 www.newsflash.org/2004/02/hl/hl100991.htm [accessed 16 February 2011] The deluge of
entertainers to Inquirer News Service -- Published on page
A14 of the January 5, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 7 September 2011] The Partial
Amendment of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act aims to
immediately decrease the number of “illegal foreign residents” in Japan, in
reaction to a purported ?deterioration of public security? and rampant human
trafficking. The law could affect at least 31,000 overstaying Filipinos,
82,000 Filipino entertainers and thousands of Filipinas married to Japanese.
The new law has outlawed their continued stay in Japan, effective Dec. 2,
2004. Thus, most of the 304,678 Filipinos in Japan may be subjected to the
harsh, inhumane penalties and procedures under the law. These include
warrantless arrests, jail terms, steep fines and deportation. But the law and the
crackdown on undocumented Filipinos in Japan do not address the issue of
human trafficking. It will only raise revenues for the Japanese authorities
by further penalizing Filipino victims of human trafficking. Meanwhile, human
traffickers will go scot-free, continue wreaking havoc on the lives of
foreign residents even as they amass more profits out of the blood and sweat
of migrant workers. Agence At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here]
[accessed 7 September 2011] Japan plans to
slash ten-fold the number of visas issued to Filipinos as
"entertainers" in a bid to stop sex trafficking, a problem whose
scale has put Japan on a US watch list, a report said Wednesday. Japan would trim the number of
entertainment visas issued to Filipinos from 80,000 to 8,000 a year,
according to Kyodo News, which said it obtained a government action plan
against human trafficking. Owed Justice - Thai Women Trafficked into
Debt Bondage in Human Rights Watch, ISBN 1-56432-252-1,
Library of Congress Card Number: 00-107963 , September 2000 www.hrw.org/reports/2000/japan/4-profiles.htm [accessed 16 February 2011] IV. PROFILES - In this chapter,
Human Rights Watch profiles four women who were trafficked from POT - It was a big room
and four or five other women going to work in Japan were also kept there. I
was surprised to be locked up because I was not allowed any chance to say
goodbye to my family, even over the phone. I heard the agents talking about
the price for each woman being between 150-160 bai
[1.5-1.6 million yen; US$10,000-11,000], but I couldn't really understand
what they were talking about and did not realize that we were being sold into
prostitution. KAEW - Kaew explained that she had understood there would be some
debt for the airplane ticket and other expenses, but she had never been told
how high her debt would be, and she was shocked at the amount. "The
other girls said to me, 'that's a lot of debt and you're old; you'll never
pay it off.' Then I prayed that it would only take six or seven months to pay
it off, and I went with all of the clients I could. . . . The mama said to
me, 'don't let your period come, or you'll never finish paying your
debt.'" So Kaew also took contraceptive pills
daily, though she had been sterilized at age twenty-one, so that she would
not menstruate and could work every day.(7)
She got her mother to send the pills from Thailand, so that she would not have
to buy them from her mama and increase the level of her debt. All
material used herein reproduced under the fair use exception of 17 USC § 107
for noncommercial, nonprofit, and educational use. PLEASE RESPECT COPYRIGHTS OF COMPONENT
ARTICLES. Cite this webpage as: Patt,
Prof. Martin, "Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery - |
Torture in [Japan] [other countries]Human Trafficking in [Japan Street Children in [Japan] [other countries]Child Prostitution in [Japan] [other countries]