Sky's Peter Sharp writes from Tokyo.
The shaven headed Aussie bouncer led us up the darkened stairs towards a wall of sound booming out from the dimly lit lounge.
"You’re going to love the girls, mate,” he shouted as we handed over the equivalent of $75 each, and were ushered into the club.
This was Ground Zero on the Tokyo’ hostess scene. It was only 9 p.m. but the pole dancer on a raised stage looked down on a busy working night as hostesses chivvied and herded their drunken Japanese charges to their seats on sofas near the show.
Six years ago these clubs were awash with English and Australian girls, breaking up their round the world trips, making easy money listening to drunken Japanese executives talk about their golf scores. But that was before Lucie Blackman’s death in 2000.Now the girls that pose around the bar locking in with unblinking eye contact come mostly from Eastern Europe.
The girls seated on the deep leather sofas pouring champagne, hand draped over a customer’s leg, were from Russia, the Ukraine or Romania.
Tall, pretty, Caucasian and blonde they were the fantasy girls Japanese men dream about. But these girls aren’t prostitutes. On offer here is conversation and karaoke. The girls don’t sell their bodies-you pay for their company.
They will earn up to $400 a night for a five hour shift in the club. And that doesn’t include the gifts lavished on them by besotted guests. In the whole of Japan’s sex industry the hostesses get paid the most for doing the least. Many of the girls, like Lucie, work without visas or immigration papers.
It leaves them vulnerable, unable to go to the police when a “dohan” or paid date turns nasty. Lucie Blackman had only been working at the Casablanca Club for about six weeks when she accepted a dinner date with one of the customers.
She was never seen alive again. Her body was found seven months later. She was discovered buried in a cave just a few hundred yards from the apartment of playboy property developer Joji Obara. He stands accused of her death in a Tokyo court.
When her father Tim Blackman and his daughter Sophie flew into Tokyo for the trial, I drove with him to his hotel. I asked him if he had any idea what Lucie would be doing in Tokyo?
He shot a glance at Sophie and said: “I wasn’t actually aware of the plan to be a hostess out here - but like a lot of young people talking to their dad you are only told half the story.” It was a communication breakdown that could have cost Lucie her life.
Tim is now working through the Lucie Blackman Trust to raise awareness of safety among the tens of thousands of young people who leave on gap working trips abroad every year.
To Eddie, Asia,
I suggest that maybe a little more research is needed on your part before making such bold statements regarding certain Japanese customs. I have no doubt that some 'prostitution' does take place but it is foolish to tarnish everyone with the same brush. For a Japanese man to be out drinking with a western woman is seen as symbol of status. I agree that in other countries this maybe be frowned upon but your comments not only insult the japanese way of doing things they also insult a beautiful young woman who in no way shape or form was ever a prostitute.
Posted by: Anon Kent 25 Apr 2007 10:05:25
I saw this report on Sky news this morning and was a little concerned with the tone taken when discussing the supposed role these hostess girls play. I can understand being sensitive to the Blackman family but to state that these girls are not prostitutes is quite frankly to propagate a lie. Yes the rate paid in these clubs is for their ‘company’ however the end game for both parties is clear from the start, arrangements are made, meetings are arranged and large sums of money for sexual favours are traded on a regular basis. The fact that this is high end prostitution does not make it any less so. My concern is that your article will act as an advertisement for young women to make easy money rather than a deterrent. Further the only reason the Russian and FSU girls have taken over is that they are cheaper, generally prettier, work harder and are easier to control.
Posted by: Eddie, Asia 24 Apr 2007 06:54:23