"ENJO-KOSAI is PROSTITUTION"

"ENJO-KOSAI is PROSTITUTION" !!!

16/06/97

The page on "lolita-complex and enjo-kosai (sexual relation in return to assistance)" is the most popular page on my site. To my surprise, every one out of three visitors seems to have seen the page(@_@). After more than half a year since I made that page, I still believe that the analysis I made there is in general correct; general relaxation of sexual moral, negative role of media, poor human relations of the people involved. On the other hand, I might have underestimated the dimension of "enjo-kosai".

Here, I would like to add some additional information which I found in the latest months.

There is an increased awareness in the public about "enjo-kosai". The voice appealing the tighter control of immoral relations with immature women has become louder. According to the present criminal law in Japan, the sexual relation with minors does not constitute any crime if the girl concerned is older than 13 (there is no provision related to boys !) and there is an agreement. The Prostitution Prevention Law, which came into force in 1958, prohibits prostitution, but only punishes the act to mediate prostitution and there is no punishment for the persons who bought or sold sexual relations. Therefore, "enjo-kosai" can NOT be punished by any of the existing law, only if there is an agreement from the girl. Many prefectures have their own ordinances to prohibit immoral sexual behavior with the people under 18. However, some prefectures, including Tokyo and Nagano, do not have such ordinances. I hear that Tokyo started to review the possibility of introducing an ordinance to prohibit immoral sexual acts.

It is, however, very difficult to control sexual relations. How can we distinguish between immoral and acceptable relations? Wouldn't the trial to control immoral relations result in the interference in the pure and genuine love ? I presume that the difficulty to give a clear answer to these questions is one of the reasons why the Prostitution Prevention Law refrained from punishing those directly involved in the prostitution.

In fact, the ethic and moral norms have been relaxing and the behavior of the young generations is over any imagination of the present law makers. The recent research undertaken by a study group of some 5000 high school students in Chiba prefecture in 1996 shows us their views vividly. I am also very impressed how fast the views of young generations change towards more and more relaxation. It is said that only about 20% of the students answered yes to sex in 1985-86 research.

How far can go the relation with the other sex ?

sexual intercourse	51.3%
petting	7.7%
kiss	23.6%
walk arm in arm	9.9%
chats	7.5%

In the meantime, the voices become loud that "enjo-kosai" is nothing but prostitution and we have to make this point clear to the young girls, as there is a possibility that they are involved in the affairs without ethic pain because of soft and journalistic naming of the act. The Osaka Police Office recently made posters with the slogan "enjo-kosai is prostitution" and wanted to put them up in junior and senior high schools and encountered ardent opposition from the Education Committee who said the word "prostitution" was too radical. I think this case only revealed the incompetence of the people involved in the secondary education.

Many people say it's up to the girls concerned whether they commit "enjo-kosai". By engaging in prostitution, they sacrifice their relations with their family, boyfriends or future children. Though they can buy brand goods or spend generously for the party with friends, they lose pride and precious human relations. They are already grown up and mature enough to bear babies and shall take care of themselves and be responsible for their own deeds.

However there is a study which reveals very weak and fragile mental situation of the girls concerned. A case study made by two women teachers specialized in health care at a school was published last month. The teachers were shocked to discover that some of their children did enjo-kosai. The interview with them made the teachers convinced of the lack of communication between them and their parents, especially fathers. They feel that they are not accepted by they parents as precious and important. Thus, the booklet shows us a very important aspect of "enjo-kosai" phenomena.

The decision is certainly made after comparing merits (money, brand goods, group spirit, extravagance, etc) and demerits (pride, parents, family, boyfriends, etc.) consciously or unconsciously. The issues of future marriage or their relations with future children might be still too vague to stop them from committing "enjo-kosai".

If they can feel they are loved by or indispensable for their family or else who should represent the sound moral of the society, the hurdle would be very high for them when they decide to begin with "enjo-kosai". In this relation, it might be also of a good help not to use a soft word "enjo-kosai" but to label the act as "prostitution" so that the immoral nature will be more explicit to the girls .

There is a WWW site in Japanese specialized in the topic of "enjo-kosai". There is among others a cyber discussion room in the site. If you are able to read Japanese, the site is worth checking.