Japanese views on sexual entertainment

[Brass]

Originally Posted by MMM

This isn't about "walking down the street," this is about intimacy, perception and safety. There are similar issues in the porn industry in America when it comes to interracial scenes. In other words many porn actresses won't do scenes with black men, as there is a stigma attached to that, and it will be harder to get work afterwards. So in the sex trade industry, there are these hangups on both sides of the Pacific that doesn't necessarily apply to the general population.

Yeah, it sucks being black most of the time

[seiki]

I would just liked to throw out that there is nothing wrong with being black.

[Brass]

Well, sadly that's not the way a lot of people see it.

But with that said living in CA I never face any outright discrimination. Nor do I have any interest in doing porn so I'm not too worried about that either.

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by Brass

Exactly, from what I gather, a lot of Japanese are very xenophobic and have this stupid belief in their head that foreigners are diseased.

Japan doesn't just get westerners though; they also get a number of immigrants from places like Nigeria, Vietnam, Thailand and S. America where STD infection rates are significantly higher than Japan. Considering Japan has some of the lowest reported rates of HIV in the world and they're already struggling with an STD boom, I can kind of see how blocking an identifiable demographic with a higher percentage of carriers from the sex industry ~might~ be a fairly practical measure to try and keep it in check.

[Brass]

Originally Posted by Columbine

Japan doesn't just get westerners though; they also get a number of immigrants from places like Nigeria, Vietnam, Thailand and S. America where STD infection rates are significantly higher than Japan. Considering Japan has some of the lowest reported rates of HIV in the world and they're already struggling with an STD boom, I can kind of see how blocking an identifiable demographic with a higher percentage of carriers from the sex industry ~might~ be a fairly practical measure to try and keep it in check.

Yes and no. I don't completely buy it's just a "safety" precaution, otherwise they'd at least ask to see your passport so they can see your nationality. If STDs didn't exist they'd find some other "praticle" reason to exclude foreigners. From what I hear there are still a lot of bars/clubs/restaurants that don't take gaijin. What are they afraid of?

[spicytuna]

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

Prostitution is an unfortunate necessity-- but do men ever think of how the women feel that they use. she pretends to be enjoying it!!! How many men in a day do they have to deal with?

Unfortunate necessity? I met several young girls who were trying to sell me their bodies for a Prada Handbag!

Here's an interesting article on this phenomenon.

"While there are a number of women [in Japan] who take up the trade looking for money to pay for their family, or for drugs, the majority of these ladies are working to satisfy a habit of a different kind — consumerism. For women who are looking for a lifestyle of posh restaurants, massages and manicures, and easy access to the season’s latest high-class brand goods, the sex industry is a viable option to earn a high income without the education, talent or long hours normally required for a high-paying career."

From :
Fuzoku Friday

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by Brass

Yes and no. I don't completely buy it's just a "safety" precaution, otherwise they'd at least ask to see your passport so they can see your nationality. If STDs didn't exist they'd find some other "praticle" reason to exclude foreigners. From what I hear there are still a lot of bars/clubs/restaurants that don't take gaijin. What are they afraid of?

I don't think that would work though. Australia, the Uk, America and Canada also have higher STD rates than Japan. And can you imagine the hoo-hah that would be thrown up if Japan was seen to be openly discriminating against ~specific~ nationalities? It causes less hassle for the proprietors to simply say 'no foreigners' rather than get into such quandaries when they're on already the grey side of legality. That's not the kind of public attention they're after. It could cause fights on ground level as well, if say, a Nigerian is refused entrance at the same time as a bunch of Germans are waved merrily on in, and I imagine these kinds of places get by on remaining, if not discrete, then at least civil on the face of things.

To be honest, I'm puzzled by the 'no gaijin' in bars things. I'm sure it exists and I don't condone it, but I lived in an area where there were many foreigners, some of whom did cause trouble in the locality, and yet I never found a single place that refused entrance, and I went out in a great deal of places and never saw it first hand. In my experience, it's nowhere near as prolific as people think. Conversely, I have seen how some foreigners act in bars, and frankly some of the behavior is disgusting so I can't say i'm shocked if it exists. In connection, I kinda suspect it's a reputation thing; you see places like Pure in Osaka, which actively gear themselves towards attracting foreigners and they're the most awful trashy dives you can imagine. 'That' kind of guy goes there, as does 'that' kind of japanese girl and 'that' kind of drunk. The only place I heard of people getting hold of drugs too. Saying 'no gaijin' maybe sets a tone for bars in iffy areas?

Or maybe they don't want the language barrier hassle. Lets face it, a table of 8 people trying to 'betsu betsu' the bill and speaking only halting japanese/english can effectively stall service in a small establishment. Or they've have trouble with foreigners in the past and the resulting embarrassment has lead to a general ban. I've heard a couple of military guys whining about it, so maybe it's more common near the bases? The only other reason I could think of was that a lot of the more traditional bars are run by older men, so perhaps there's some war stigma knocking around?

I don't know. I have a knack for polite japanese and making friends with bar staff; it's never been a problem for me.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Brass

Yes and no. I don't completely buy it's just a "safety" precaution, otherwise they'd at least ask to see your passport so they can see your nationality. If STDs didn't exist they'd find some other "praticle" reason to exclude foreigners. From what I hear there are still a lot of bars/clubs/restaurants that don't take gaijin. What are they afraid of?

Who is going to show ID at a brothel?

And the reason some bars don't allow foreigners is because foreigners won't quietly say "OK" when handed a 200,000 yen bill for a few cocktails. They'll make a fuss. Trust me, any place that says "No Foreigners Allowed" is not a place you want to be messing around with. "No Foreigners Allowed" = "Ripoff Artist At Work".

Originally Posted by Columbine

I don't know. I have a knack for polite japanese and making friends with bar staff; it's never been a problem for me.

I agree...I have only seen a sign saying "No gaijin" in maybe two places. One of which I know was because of gaijin complaining about the outrageous bill because I was one of those gaijin. We asked the prices before sitting down, and asked more than once to confirm the price on the bill, then when we left the mama had added a several thousand yen to the bill willy-nilly. The next time we were in the building the sign was up.

[RealJames]

Originally Posted by spicytuna

Unfortunate necessity? I met several young girls who were trying to sell me their bodies for a Prada Handbag!

Here's an interesting article on this phenomenon.

"While there are a number of women [in Japan] who take up the trade looking for money to pay for their family, or for drugs, the majority of these ladies are working to satisfy a habit of a different kind — consumerism. For women who are looking for a lifestyle of posh restaurants, massages and manicures, and easy access to the season’s latest high-class brand goods, the sex industry is a viable option to earn a high income without the education, talent or long hours normally required for a high-paying career."

From :
Fuzoku Friday

This I have often found to be the case also. A lot of my girlfriend's classmates in high school were getting dates with salary men using a cellphone hook-up service (very popular...) and came home with the newest Louis Vuiton handbags (that cost over 1000$) and their parents just turn a blind eye to it, or accept the lies that "my bf got it for me" as if a high school boy could afford it (and then another one every month or so...).

High school girl in uniform in Japan for one night: about 200$

[MMM]

Originally Posted by RealJames

This I have often found to be the case also. A lot of my girlfriend's classmates in high school were getting dates with salary men using a cellphone hook-up service (very popular...) and came home with the newest Louis Vuiton handbags (that cost over 1000$) and their parents just turn a blind eye to it, or accept the lies that "my bf got it for me" as if a high school boy could afford it (and then another one every month or so...).

High school girl in uniform in Japan for one night: about 200$

A new Louis Vitton bag could cost five times that.

And just because she is in a uniform doesn't mean she is a high school girl.

Just because a salary man is buying a girl or woman expensive gifts doesn't mean she is hooking. I knew guys that spent half their salaries buying gifts for hostesses, and never got even a kiss. Lots of hugs and thank yous and OMGs... but nothing more.

Some of these single guys who have never been with women don't know how to get girls, and have more money than they know what to do with. Yes, there are girls who hook for cash... very young girls... but a new bag doesn't alway mean she spread her legs for it.