'I wanted to be loved': Japan women fall prey to exploitative 'host clubs'

  • 4 months ago
Growing up, Mirai Kisaragi fled her abusive parents, barely survived homelessness and contemplated suicide. At 18 she met her "saviour" at one of Tokyo's hundreds of host clubs where men entertain women.

Except he, too, was no good.

Before long, Kisaragi became one of a growing number of victims of financial and sexual exploitation linked to the establishments that have dotted Japan's red-light district Kabukicho for decades.

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