Men’s Esthetic Salon Honey Trap Extortion Scheme Exposed in Court

The defendant is a monk

The first trial of Kayatsu Yagi (27, at the time of arrest), who has been charged with extortion and other crimes for blackmailing male customers of a men’s esthetic salon using the honey trap method, was held at the Tokyo District Court on February 14.

According to the indictment, Yagi had customers sign a pledge stating, “A fine will be imposed if you engage in actions that make the girl uncomfortable.” She then had a female therapist offer sexual services and extorted 2 million yen in cash using the honey trap scheme.

“If the customer agreed to sexual activity, the therapist would contact Yagi, who was waiting nearby. Several accomplices would then storm into the scene. They would threaten the customer, saying things like, ‘This is not a sex business. If you want that kind of service, go to a soapland,’ or ‘You signed the pledge, didn’t you?’ They then extorted cash under the pretense of a penalty fee. In November of last year, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested Yagi and eight others, both men and women, on suspicion of extortion and confinement. They had lured customers at four esthetic salons and repeated the crime using the same method. By October of last year, more than 170 reports of similar incidents had been received in Tokyo, prompting the police to heighten their vigilance,” said an investigator.

Wearing a light blue sweatshirt and sporting a shaved head, Yagi entered the courtroom with a calm demeanor, despite his short stature, as if flaunting his well-developed pectoral muscles. He scanned the audience seats with a sharp, intimidating gaze, showing no sign of remorse. When asked about his occupation at the witness stand, he replied, “Monk,” and admitted, “That is correct,” to the charges.

“Men’s esthetic salons are often mistaken for sex businesses, but sexual services are prohibited. However, due to fierce competition, some salons have therapists provide such services. Customers, too, have expectations regarding these gray areas, leading to a surge in troubles related to men’s esthetic salons in recent years,” said a well-informed source.

In court, the organized nature of the crime, which exploited male customers’ desires, was revealed.

 

The illegality is not known until the treatment begins

The treatment location was a love hotel designated by the men’s esthetic salon. Yagi was in charge of driving the therapists to and from the love hotel. Once the male customer entered the room, he was made to change into a paper thong-like underwear that covered very little. The therapist, dressed in a camisole and underwear, would make the customer get on all fours and persistently rub his groin area, grinding her hips as if pressing her own genital area against him.

Then, when the man attempted to engage in full intercourse, the therapist would suddenly complain, saying, “I told you that wasn’t allowed, didn’t I?” She would immediately contact Yagi, who was waiting at the hotel’s front desk. Yagi would then enter, take a photo of the customer’s ID, and demand payment.

“There was also a LINE exchange where Yagi asked, ‘Did it happen?’ and the therapist replied, ‘Yes.’ They referred to intercourse as an ‘accident’ and called the act of collecting the penalty fee ‘cutting’ in coded language,” said the investigator.

The total amount extorted is estimated to be around 35 million yen. Some victims were reportedly threatened with accusations of non-consensual intercourse, making it difficult for them to file a report, even if they were unwilling participants. Many ended up staying silent out of fear.

Yagi’s esthetic salon outwardly prohibited sexual services but had obtained a business permit for the adult entertainment industry. Customers had no way of knowing the illegal nature of the operation until they were already caught in the scheme. Crimes like this are on the rise.

If something seems suspicious, it is crucial to consult the police immediately.