Tokyo police arrest 9 at two Yoshiwara soaplands over prostitution venues
In short
Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department arrested nine men at two soapland establishments in the Yoshiwara district of Taito Ward on suspicion of violating the Anti-Prostitution Law by providing places for prostitution, it announced on Oct 7. Eight of the nine admitted the allegations, while one man in his 50s denied them, saying he did not know it was illegal. Police are also investigating whether the shops paid “scout back” referral fees to scouts who introduced female employees, which the revised Entertainment Business Act banned from June 2025.
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Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department arrested nine men at two soaplands in the Yoshiwara district of Taito Ward, Tokyo, on suspicion of violating the Anti-Prostitution Law by providing places for prostitution, and announced the arrests on Oct 7. Sankei Shimbun, Tokyo Shimbun and Nishi-Nippon Shimbun reported the arrests at midday, and Asahi Shimbun and Mainichi Shimbun published fuller accounts in the evening. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
The two establishments are the soaplands “Éldor” and “Danshaku”, both in the Senzoku area of Taito Ward. According to Asahi Shimbun and Mainichi Shimbun, the alleged offence took place on Oct 5, when the shops are suspected of providing private rooms for six female employees in their 20s to 40s to engage in prostitution with male customers. Mainichi Shimbun reported that the two shops are under the same operator and that about 40 female employees were registered between them. Eight of the nine suspects admitted the allegations, while one male employee in his 50s denied them, saying he did not know it was a legal violation, the two outlets reported. [ 1 , 6 , 7 ]
Among those arrested were Éldor's supervising manager, aged 54 and a resident of Asakusa in Taito Ward, and Danshaku's shop manager, aged 53, according to Asahi Shimbun and Mainichi Shimbun. Sankei Shimbun named the supervising manager as 三木泰和; no other document names him. Asahi Shimbun described the other suspects as managers and employees in their 30s to 60s at the two shops. [ 1 , 6 , 7 ]
The investigation followed an anonymous tip received by police in April 2026 that the shops were paying “scout back” referral fees to scouts who introduced women, Asahi Shimbun reported. Such payments are a source of income for scout groups and were banned for adult-entertainment businesses under the revised Entertainment Business Act that took effect in June 2025, the outlet said. Sankei Shimbun and Mainichi Shimbun reported that police are also investigating possible violations of that law over the referral payments. Asahi Shimbun added that police searched two other establishments in the Yoshiwara area on Oct 5. [ 1 , 6 , 7 ]
The supervising manager told police that securing female employees was difficult and that job advertisements were not enough, so the shops used scouts, according to Asahi Shimbun; Mainichi Shimbun reported a similar account, saying most staff were introduced by scout groups. Police are investigating the involvement of illegal scout groups and whether referral fees were paid, the outlets reported. [ 6 , 7 ]
Why it matters
The case is the first detailed police move reported by national outlets against scout referral payments since the revised Entertainment Business Act took effect, making it a test of how the ban is enforced in the adult-entertainment industry. It also points to police scrutiny of the scout groups that recruit women for such shops. The documents give no figures on the wider scale of the practice.
Key facts
- The Metropolitan Police Department's public safety division announced on Oct 7 that nine men were arrested at two soaplands in Taito Ward, Tokyo, on suspicion of violating the Anti-Prostitution Law (providing a place). [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- The two establishments are the soaplands “Éldor” and “Danshaku” in the Yoshiwara district of Taito Ward, Tokyo. [ 1 , 6 , 7 ]
- The suspected acts took place on Oct 5, when rooms were allegedly provided for six female employees in their 20s to 40s to engage in prostitution with male customers. [ 1 , 6 , 7 ]
- Eight of the nine arrested admitted the allegations; one male employee in his 50s denied them, saying he did not know it was a legal violation, according to police statements reported by Asahi Shimbun and Mainichi Shimbun. [ 6 , 7 ]
- About 40 female employees were registered across the two shops, which Mainichi Shimbun reported are under the same operator. [ 6 , 7 ]
- Police are investigating whether the shops paid “scout back” referral fees to scouts who introduced women, which the revised Entertainment Business Act, in force since June 2025, prohibits adult-entertainment businesses from paying. [ 1 , 6 , 7 ]
- Police searched two other establishments in the Yoshiwara area on Oct 5, Asahi Shimbun reported. [ 6 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Nine men were arrested on suspicion of violating the Anti-Prostitution Law for providing places for prostitution at two soaplands in Taito Ward, Tokyo, and the arrests were announced on Oct 7. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- The two establishments are “Éldor” and “Danshaku” in the Yoshiwara district. [ 1 , 6 , 7 ]
- The alleged provision of places occurred on Oct 5. [ 1 , 6 , 7 ]
- Eight of the nine suspects admitted the allegations and one denied them. [ 6 , 7 ]
- Police are examining possible payments of referral fees, known as “scout back”, to scouts, which the revised Entertainment Business Act banned from June 2025. [ 1 , 6 , 7 ]
Still unclear
- The name of the 54-year-old supervising manager, given by Sankei Shimbun as 三木泰和, of Asakusa, Taito Ward. Only one outlet, Sankei Shimbun, names the man; other outlets identify him only by age and role.
- Whether “scout back” referral fees were actually paid by the two shops. The documents say police are investigating on that assumption or view it as a possibility; no document states a payment as established.
- Whether the two other Yoshiwara establishments searched on Oct 5 are connected to the same operator or to the alleged scout payments. Asahi Shimbun reports the searches but does not describe any link.
- How many women in total were involved beyond the six named in the arrest allegations. Documents report six female employees in the alleged acts and about 40 registered at the two shops, but do not say how many were introduced by scouts or how many are covered by the investigation.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The Metropolitan Police receive an anonymous tip that the shops were paying “scout back” referral fees to scouts who introduced women, and begin an investigation. [ 6 ]
- Police arrest nine men on suspicion of providing places for prostitution at the two soaplands, and search two other establishments in the Yoshiwara area. [ 1 , 6 , 7 ]
- Sankei Shimbun publishes its report on the arrests and the investigation into referral-fee payments. [ 1 ]
- Tokyo Shimbun publishes its headline report on the arrests. [ 2 ]
- Nishi-Nippon Shimbun publishes its headline report on the arrests. [ 5 ]
- Asahi Shimbun publishes a detailed account, including the search of two other shops and the suspects' admissions and denial. [ 6 ]
- Mainichi Shimbun publishes a detailed account, including the April tip and the number of female employees. [ 7 ]