Korean transvestite bust in Yokohama a Japan first

TOKYO (TR) – Kanagawa Prefectural Police on Sunday announced the arrest of three transvestite Korean nationals for allegedly offering sexual services in Yokohama’s Naka Ward, reports the Sankei Shimbun (May 12).

According to officers, 30-year-old Yi Sam and two other suspects arrived in Japan on 90-day tourist visas between February and April of this year. The suspects are alleged to have supplied sexual services to male customers at a rate of 10,000 yen per session — a violation of Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act regarding qualified work.

The three suspects have reportedly admitted to the allegations.

Police also arrested another Korean male, 52-year-old Park Do-yeon, for violating the same law by assisting the three suspects with the provision of housing.

According to the Real Live Web (May 15), Sam and the other two suspects collected between one and two million yen per month in revenue. In one evening, between five and 15 customers were accommodated.

The suspects arrested for immigration violations recruited customers in the street while wearing wigs and miniskirts and worked within a group of 20 Korean males under the management of Park.

“Korea is very strict [regarding transvestites],” the suspects are quoted by police. “We thought in Japan it would be fine since the country if very amiable. Korea turns a cold shoulder [to us].”

Police said the arrests of the three males for supplying sex services while in Japan on tourist visas is a nationwide first.