Tobita Shinchi red light district in Osaka to close during G-20 summit
The famed Tobita Shinchi red light district in Osaka will close down during the upcoming Group of 20 summit in late June, according to media reports
Tobita Shinchi is a rare example of an old-style red light district (yukaku) in Japan, similar to how Yoshiwara used to be in Tokyo, featuring rows of licensed establishments in which young ladies sit in open doorways waiting for patrons.
This time it’s not the authorities actually doing the closing; it’s kind of a case of self-censorship. Apparently the Tobita Shinchi association itself has agreed to “restrain” its activities during the summit from June 28th to June 29th.
The association of 159 members said it would close all the businesses to “avoid causing disruption in the area.”
It is the first time the quarter has closed like this in 30 years. The last time was for the funeral of Emperor Hirohito died in 1989.
The whole move is ridiculous, in our honest opinions. It is highly unlikely that the dignitaries or world press would wonder into Tobita Shinchi, which is not in the center of Osaka — and even if they did, so what? It hardly matters in the grand scheme of things, not least the terrible wars and violence that the G20 nations wage around the world. Moreover, just because you temporarily close down Tobita Shinchi, it doesn’t mean there is suddenly and magically no prostitution in Osaka. Quite the contrary! Namba and other districts are filled with places where you can pay for sex — just not as flagrantly or traditionally as Tobita Shinchi.
And, let’s be frank, we are quite sure that at least some of the powerful suits gathering for the summit will have some fun during their visit, presumably from higher-class services than those on offer at Tobita Shinchi, and probably delivered direct to their hotel suites.
Similar to the move to ban porn from convenience stores during the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, this is about shifting “bad” things out of sight as if they don’t exist rather than addressing any real social or moral issues there might (or might not) be.
We expect the operators in Tobita Shinchi are censoring themselves to anticipate an actual police crackdown, presuming in the hope that a temporary closure will ensure their long-term survival.
