Why a Teen in Animal-Ear Headbands Sparked Another Kabukichō Con-Cafe Crackdown

A concept café operator who had a 17-year-old girl entertain customers

Crackdowns on girls’ bars and concept cafés in Kabukichō continue.

On November 4, the Juvenile Division of the Metropolitan Police Department raided the concept café “ZooBOX” in Shinjuku’s Kabukichō. The shop’s operator, Ryo Tanioku (43), was arrested on the spot on suspicion of violating the Adult Entertainment Business Act (operating without a permit). He is suspected of having two female employees, ages 17 and 20, entertain two male customers in their 30s in a box seat without the required permit.

At around 9 p.m. that same day, Tanioku appeared outside the shop surrounded by investigators. With blonde hair dyed pink at the tips and wearing a sukajan jacket, he showed no sign of remorse even as reporters’ camera flashes went off, muttering something under his breath as he got into the police vehicle.

“A 17-year-old girl had previously been taken into protective custody in Kabukichō, and investigators noticed her entering the café, which led to the discovery of the case. It seems she had long admired concept cafés and girls’ bars.

Tanioku confirmed the girl’s age using her My Number card. He stated, ‘I thought it would be fine as long as she didn’t entertain customers,’ but in reality, he had employees entertain customers while wearing things like animal-ear headbands. Tanioku has admitted to the charges.

The shop had in fact already received administrative guidance in September. Tanioku reportedly said, ‘I thought it would be okay if the cast members stood up from their seats when the police came.’ The Metropolitan Police have also referred Tanioku to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the same law for employing a minor.”

In Kabukichō, on October 13, the operator of the girls’ bar “RaBBi2” was also busted for having female employees entertain customers across the counter without the required entertainment business permit. In that case as well, a 16-year-old girl was entertaining two customers in their 40s across the counter. It was found that the operator, knowing she was a minor, told her, “Don’t say you’re underage in front of customers,” and had her entertain them.

Girls’ bars and concept cafés are cracked down on for violating the Adult Entertainment Business Act because they have customers entertained without a permit. To run an establishment that provides entertainment, a No. 1 permit under the act—like those held by cabarets or clubs—is required. Some girls’ bars and concept cafés do obtain this permit, but why do others operate without it? According to adult-industry journalist Akira Ikoma, the main reason is “because their sales would drop the most.”

Many customers specifically seek 15–17-year-old cast members

“You might think, ‘Why don’t they just legitimately obtain an adult-entertainment business permit and operate openly?’ But for operators, there is a dilemma: they would no longer be able to operate late at night. When providing entertainment services, the Adult Entertainment Business Act restricts business hours to midnight—and even in designated areas such as Minami in Osaka, local ordinances limit operations to 1 a.m.

A man who operated a concept café in Osaka and was arrested in September 2024 for violating the Adult Entertainment Business Act (operating without a permit) stated, ‘If I get the permit, I won’t be able to operate past 1 a.m., and my income will decrease.’”

Additionally, in some areas, adult-entertainment businesses are restricted or prohibited, and there are cases where the fire department or public health center will not grant approval. Because it also takes time and money to obtain the permit, many operators avoid doing so.

Furthermore, journalist Akira Ikoma points out another major reason why operators of concept cafés and girls’ bars do not want to obtain the permit:

“‘Because they would no longer be able to employ anyone under 18.’ Once they obtain the permit and are classified as a social eating-and-drinking establishment, customers who specifically come for 15–17-year-old cast members—who do not exist in cabarets or girls’ bars with proper licensing—will stop coming. If the business is not classified as adult entertainment, minors can be employed as restaurant staff. Notably, the voluntary regulatory organization ‘Osu Concept Shop Association,’ established on August 1, 2022 in Osu, Nagoya, has a rule requiring ID and parental consent when employing anyone under 18. Another reason is that obtaining the permit would also prevent them from allowing underage customers to enter.”

According to one administrative scrivener, “The most dangerous type of concept café is the one that chooses not to obtain a No. 1 entertainment business permit specifically because they want to hire high school students (under 18).” In reality, there are still many concept cafés that conduct entertainment-like business activities without the required permit. Among them, stores that employ minors under 18—like in the present case—will be the first to be cracked down on.

Some argue that the definition of entertainment under the Adult Entertainment Business Act—which considers even talking to a particular customer across the counter as entertainment—is too strict. However, the fact remains that minors entertaining adults on the nightlife streets is something that should never happen.

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