Pioneering Vietnamese Girls’ Bar Owner, 29, Praised for Cute Looks Amid Illegal Employment

“Would you like to have a drink?”

“Good evening! Please stop by.”

In the entertainment district of Yushima, Tokyo (Bunkyo Ward), women dressed in traditional Vietnamese attire, Ao Dai, approach passersby with broken Japanese. In recent years, snack bars and adult establishments where they work as staff have increased rapidly. They stand in front of the stores, inviting male customers.

Mitsuru Nakamura, the president of the Shirakume Shopping District in Yushima, speaks:

“Originally, Yushima had the atmosphere of a geisha district, with many geishas. However, as the demand for ryotei (traditional inns) decreased, the owners sold the land. Buildings started to be constructed in the vacant lots, and the area became an entertainment street with snack bars where foreign women worked. Women from many countries, including Korea, China, Russia, and the Philippines, began to gather, and recently, there has been an increase in Vietnamese women.

There are many troubles among the Vietnamese. Perhaps it’s due to competition for customers. Store managers have gotten into arguments. They are not members of the shopping district association, so we don’t have a clear understanding of their activities. To reduce conflicts, we cooperate with the police and local government and conduct patrols for environmental improvement two to three times a month.”

 

Sales of 440 million yen over five years.

 

A dispute involving Vietnamese nationals escalated into a police matter. On November 11, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police’s Security Division arrested Dzong Thi Minh Hong, a 29-year-old Vietnamese national and owner of a restaurant, on suspicion of violating the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (aiding illegal employment). Sixteen other women of the same nationality were also detained for illegal overstays and unauthorized activities.

“The suspect, Duong, was operating a girls’ bar called ‘Queen.’ It opened in the Yushima area about four to five years ago. At the time, it became popular as a rare establishment with Vietnamese women serving customers. Currently, it has expanded to five locations, including in Roppongi and Kanda.

Duong is accused of illegally employing Vietnamese women who were not permitted to work at adult establishments, from July to October 2024. About 50 people were employed at the bar, and its revenue reportedly reached approximately 440 million yen over the five-year period from March 2019 to September 2024. During police questioning, Duong reportedly boasted about her business acumen, claiming to be a ‘pioneer of Vietnamese girls’ bars.'” (According to a reporter from a national newspaper’s social affairs department)

However, it seems that Queen was more than just a girls’ bar.

“It seems that instead of serving customers across the counter, the women sat next to male patrons and offered drinks. This was not a girls’ bar; in reality, it was more like a hostess club. The female staff would sometimes ask for drinks for themselves or request tips. Many of the women were simple and innocent, which led to the bar being lively every night, especially with middle-aged men,” said the same source.

 

Two Reasons for the Increase in Vietnamese Women-Owned Shops

The arrested Dzong, who was called “Zun-chan” at the store and was known for her cute reputation, was photographed by our magazine’s photographer right after her arrest. Before entering the police station, she flipped her long hair and then lowered her head, seemingly trying to hide her natural face.

Why has the number of Vietnamese women working in girls’ bars and sex establishments increased? A writer familiar with the sex industry explains:

“Recently, the number of Vietnamese women working in Japan has surged. There are two main reasons why they work in bars and sex establishments. The first is the low wages they earn in regular jobs. Even if they work at car parts factories, they don’t make much money. Working in sex establishments allows them to earn significant amounts through tips, commission on drinks ordered by customers, and other earnings.

The second reason is community. Many of these women, who come from Vietnam, feel lonely in Japan because of the cultural and language differences. Working in an all-Vietnamese environment provides them with a sense of security. Dzong is said to have come to Japan about 10 years ago to study and learn business administration. She probably noticed the difficult situation of Vietnamese women and, knowing the local situation in the Yushima area where she lived, decided to open a girls’ bar for them.”

Currently, there are about 560,000 Vietnamese people in Japan, the second-largest group after the Chinese. While interactions with Japanese people have increased, so have the number of issues and troubles.

The suspect has reportedly admitted to the charges during police investigation (the photo is partially edited).

It is reported that about 50 Vietnamese women were working at the store (the photo is partially edited).

The majority of the customers were middle-aged and older men (the photo is partially edited).