Kabukicho’s Girls Bar Owners Face Anxiety After Historic Raid Under New Law

On June 28, the day the revised Entertainment Business Act came into effect, Toshihiko Yahata (35), the owner of the girls’ bar “55LOUNGE” in Kabukicho, Shinjuku Ward, was arrested on suspicion of violating the Act by having female employees entertain customers without a permit. This was the first nationwide crackdown since the revised law was enforced. Including this bar, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department had raided a total of seven establishments by June 30.

At the “55LOUNGE,” customers and employees were engaged in prolonged conversations as part of entertainment activities. The interior was designed with mirrors behind the counter, allowing customers to see the employees’ underwear. Despite having received administrative guidance in mid-June regarding unauthorized entertainment operations, the bar continued business and had been informed about the stricter penalties under the revised law.

The revised Entertainment Business Act strengthened penalties for unauthorized operations. Imprisonment terms were extended from up to 2 years to up to 5 years. Fines increased from up to 2 million yen to up to 10 million yen, and for corporations, fines rose from up to 2 million yen to up to 300 million yen.

This crackdown, conducted on the very day the law was enforced, is widely seen as a warning example. Residents of Kabukicho’s nightlife district expressed various opinions about the raids.

There’s a feeling that they might get targeted for some reason or another

M, who works at a girls’ bar in Kabukicho, said, “I found out around noon on TikTok,” and immediately contacted a friend who works at the raided bar. She seemed surprised, saying, “Why that place?”

“That’s a bar where my friend works, and I used to go there sometimes. I never thought it would suddenly get raided. Sure, the skirts were short and underwear could be seen, but customers came to enjoy them. The girls working there understood that.”

“I didn’t know it was operating without a permit, but I don’t think it was running the kind of hostess-style service people are talking about. With the revised Entertainment Business Act now in effect, I think Kabukicho’s nightlife spots were targeted as an example.”

She showed messages from a friend working at the bar, with texts like “This is bad. What about our pay?” and “When will the bar reopen?” The worries were raw and real. Even if their actions didn’t technically violate the revised law, they seemed uneasy about some shady things.

“Our bar, like many others, probably doesn’t have permits for things like handing out flyers or soliciting customers. The people standing around Tower Records or similar areas calling out for customers are probably operating without permits. There’s an unspoken rule that when security staff from the ward are nearby, they stop. Now that this raid happened so soon after the law change, it makes me think our bar might get targeted too for some reason,” M said.

When interviewed around the Tower Records area, voices were heard saying, “How are we going to attract customers from now on?” and “There are more extreme places out there”

There were also concerns that the quality of the customers might worsen

A man, Mr. A, who was recruiting customers for a girls’ bar near the store that was raided, responded, “Isn’t this just a warning example?” But what he is worried about is the “deterioration of the customer base.”

“I think many business owners believe this time they just had bad luck. In the girls’ bar scene, many people don’t seem too concerned. However, when it comes to concept cafes (con cafes), many stores engage in gray-area customer service, so it might be tough for them. Some shops immediately locked their Instagram accounts after the raid. They might be trying to hide what’s going on inside from the outside. Such places probably operate in fear of being raided,” said Mr. A.

While cracking down on illegal stores is natural, he says it will change customers’ morals.

“There are many strange customers in Kabukicho. Some are oddly knowledgeable about the law or keep a close eye on the news, and they are quite troublesome. If a hostess touches a customer even slightly, they’ll say ‘That’s a violation of the entertainment business law!’ or ‘She sat next to me even for a moment, I’ll report that,’ enjoying seeing the hostesses troubled. That might still be okay, but some even use legal jargon to pick fights and demand ‘Make it cheaper.’ Thinking about how such customers will increase is pitiful for the staff who have to deal with them.”

The revised entertainment business law will likely bring major changes for night workers. During this transitional period, there might be continued raids as warnings. Will girls’ bars and concept cafes be able to survive through these changes?