Tokyo police have arrested a Thai woman and a Japanese man accused of jointly running an illegal prostitution business through massage parlours, while three Thai nationals were also detained over alleged sex services while on student visas.
The operation was carried out in June by the Public Security Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, but details emerged only recently in Japanese media reports.
Police detained 50-year-old Thai national Misaki Nitwanla at a massage parlour in Hirai, Edogawa ward. Naoki Hakamada, a 51-year-old Japanese national, was arrested separately in Oji, Kita ward.
Allegations over Tokyo massage parlours
Police allege that Misaki and Hakamada operated a sex service business in an area where it was prohibited, and employed foreign nationals without valid permits to work.
Misaki admitted the allegations, according to police. Hakamada denied the charges.
Investigators believe the pair ran four establishments across Tokyo, including one in Ueno, Taito ward. The businesses are alleged to have generated about 343 million yen, between November 2022 and June this year.
Japanese news agency Sankei reported that three further Thai nationals - two men and one woman - were arrested during the operation.
Student visas did not allow work
The three Thai nationals were in Japan on student visas and did not have permits allowing them to work, police said. They also face allegations connected with operating the illegal business.
Police have not disclosed the penalties that the suspects could face if convicted.
For Thai nationals, foreign residents and expats in Thailand considering study or work in Japan, the case is a reminder that a student visa does not automatically grant the right to take paid employment. Work permissions must be obtained separately where required, and employment outside those conditions can lead to immigration as well as criminal consequences.
Picture courtesy of ANN News
Join the discussion? 
25 July 2026
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment