Sex, Lies and 'Entertainment'

Trapped by Japanese Mafia, or yakuza, an increasing number of Indonesian women are becoming stranded in Japan. Lured by offers of lucrative work as entertainers they can end up as prostitutes. Yet, many continue to risk it.

May 1, 2001

Open the newspapers and read the advertisements. Look for vacancies. You might find one working in Japan as an entertainer, touting easy work with big salaries and tips.

It's got to be easy money, right? You appear in shows, at most, three times a day. It's only 15 minutes for each appearance. The payment? A cool 50,000 yen (currently the equivalent of Rp4.5 million). There's tips, too, averaging up to Rp 6 million a month. Add it up, and you get R

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