Tokyo police have arrested a man on suspicion of forcing a 12-year-old Thai girl to work and allegedly provide sexual services at his massage parlour.
The suspect, identified as Hosono Masayuki, 51, the operator of a massage parlour in Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward, was arrested on suspicion of violating Japan’s Labour Standards Act by employing a child under the age of 15.
According to NHK, police allege that Hosono employed the girl for about a month, between June and July, and forced her to provide sexual services to customers.
Police said the girl is believed to be among the youngest known victims of human trafficking in Japan’s recent history.
Investigations revealed that she entered Japan in late June with her mother on a 15-day “Temporary Visitor” visa.
Her mother allegedly took her to the massage parlour on the day they arrived and instructed her to work there.
The woman then left Japan in mid-July, abandoning her daughter, who was forced to sleep in the parlour’s kitchen.
The girl told police that she was repeatedly forced to provide sexual services to customers.
Local media reported that the girl received 600,000 yen (approximately 126,000 baht or 5.64 million won) over about one month, but the money was transferred to an account belonging to someone connected to her mother.
The case came to light in mid-September, when the girl sought help at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau, after realising her mother would not return as promised. She told officials that she had been forced to work and expressed her desire to go back to Thailand and attend school.
“The girl is now under official protection,” Thai authorities said. “She told officials, ‘I want to go back to Thailand. I want to go to school.’”
Relevant agencies are providing assistance and preparing for her repatriation, with priority given to her psychological well-being.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nikorndej Balankura, said that the Thai Embassy in Tokyo was notified by Japanese authorities shortly after the discovery in mid-September.
A consular officer visited the girl on September 24, to gather information and assess her case under the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), which confirmed she is a victim of human trafficking.
The Thai girl is currently under the protection of Japanese authorities at a child and youth protection center in Tokyo, where she is receiving food, clothing, health checks and medical care. The Thai Embassy is working closely with local authorities throughout the investigation.
Police are also investigating whether the case is linked to a larger trafficking network, viewing it as a possible instance of human trafficking for sexual exploitation facilitated by the girl’s own mother.
