A 12-year-old Thai girl, left abandoned by her mother and forced into human trafficking at a Tokyo massage parlor, bravely alerted authorities to her plight, leading to her rescue and the arrest of the establishment’s owner.
The young victim was compelled to serve approximately 60 customers over about one month at the parlor in a central district of Tokyo. The illicit operation generated an estimated $4,200 in total sales, which was reportedly split between the massage parlor owner and the girl’s mother.
She is now considered the youngest foreign human trafficking victim to have been identified by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.
Masanori Hosono, 51, the owner of the massage parlor, was arrested on November 4. He faces charges related to violating Japan’s Labor Standards Act, though authorities have not disclosed whether he has admitted to the accusations.
The girl and her mother had arrived in Japan in late June on a 15-day short-stay tourist visa. It was the girl’s first visit to the country, and she was unable to speak Japanese.
In mid-July, her mother returned to Thailand, leaving the girl alone in Japan. Subsequently, the girl was forced to work from a room provided by the parlor, receiving only a small allowance for food.
By mid-September, she sought help from the Tokyo Immigration Bureau, explaining her forced labor, which brought the case to light.
The rescued girl is currently under the protection of a child welfare agency. Authorities are providing psychological care and are arranging for her repatriation to Thailand.