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Stripes is running a story about human trafficking in Okinawa. A few years ago, after stories about rampant sex trafficking around Korean military bases were published, the US military has tried to take steps to distance itself from such activity. For one, George Bush signed an executive order making solicitation of prostitutes a crime, and at least the Navy, requires periodic training in human trafficking, especially when pulling into ports like the PI and Thailand. Sex trafficking in Japan, from what I can tell, is an ongoing problem. However, I don’t think it’s specifically a problem for Yokosuka.

When I went to Okinawa, a few buddies and I went to the bar area around Kadena Air Base. We went to a few buy-me-drink bars, where girls sit and talk with you as long as you’re steadily buying them drinks. It’s common in Japan, and since I’ve never seen an instance where sex was an option, it’s not something I thought was a problem. My attitude changed pretty quickly after talking with a girl one of the places we went. I asked her how she liked it in Okinawa, and she replied that she hated it. She was a Filipina and said she was promised she could come to Okinawa to be a singer. Instead she has to work the bar, and is required to get a certain number of drinks a night or she has to pay out of her pocket. I didn’t get into whether she had a bar fine and had to go with customers, as I was uncomfortable and just wanted to leave. I gave her money for some more drinks and then convinced my friends we should go somewhere else. It’s a shitty feeling when you see someone who is obviously in need of help, we all understand how trafficking works and this girl was definitely a victim, but really not able to do anything about it. I can’t save her or take her to some shelter, because it just doesn’t work like that. The best I could do is give her enough money that she would hopefully not have to worry about meeting her quota that day, leave the bar, and try to forget about it.

It’s pretty much assumed that all US bases overseas have some red light district that contributes to the overall trafficking problem, but I think Yokosuka might be an exception. In 2006, The Stars and Stripes did a story about the “flourishing sex trade” in Yokosuka. I originally wanted to write a rebuttal post to the article, but I never got around to it. I believed the article was written because it was a controversial topic and the goal was to get the same public outcry as the original stories about the US bases in Korea did. The article went on to talk about massagy girls and the various buy-me-drink bars in and around The Honch. While the article gave the impression that Sailors were strolling outside the gates to get a happy ending, I think the insinuation was wrong, especially since most of the bars with women were for Japanese customers only.

I’ve been to The Honch many times, and I haven’t seen anything that resembles the red light areas of other countries I’ve been to. Most of the establishments in The Honch are just bars. On any given night, a handful of Sailors will be drinking in up, playing darts or pool, and just generally enjoying their night. There are a few other places that have buy-me-drink bars, but there is about a handful. None of these bars offer bar fines for the girls, meaning they’re not prostitutes. The girls aren’t being trafficked either, as most of them are either dating a guy who works on base, or is related to a military dependent. Now “massagey” girls are different. These girls, who are usually Korean or Chinese, stand on the corners around Blue Street and The Honch accosting passersby with calls of “massagey? massagey?” I’ve gotten a massagey once, and it was legitimate. At no point did the girl ask if I wanted anything other than the actual massage, but since I didn’t ask for one either, I can only assume it wasn’t offered. I’ve know a handful of other guys who’ve experienced the same thing, which leads me to believe the assumption of a happy ending type massage is just a false advertising technique to generate business. Even if the girls did offer happy endings, it’s not isolated to Yokosuka. Massagy girls are absolutely everywhere in Japan. Yokohama, Roppongi, Kawasaki, etc. They all look the same, wear the same long puffy jackets, and all have the same “massagy? massagy?” greeting.

It’s important to note that The Honch area used to be a red light district, and Japan today still has many red light areas that have many women trafficked from countries like the PI and Korea. While it may be accessible in other areas of Japan, The Honch and other areas outside of the Yokosuka base have gone through a lot of changes that have gotten rid of the red light services once offered to Sailors, and the stigma it once carried.

Check out some of these photos of the Honch then and now. Also, check out these old Honch photos.