Tokyo cops bust Korean hostess club frequented by celebs on immigration charges

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Tuesday announced the bust last month of a high-profile Korean hostess club in the Akasaka entertainment district for violating immigration control laws, reports the Sankei Shimbun (June 2).

On May 27, officers arrested the 34-year-old manager of Club Lovely for employing male and female Korean nationals residing in Japan on short-term or student visas between February 4 and May 26.

According to police, seven of the 14 hostesses on staff at the club (between 23 and 28 years old) were working in violation of the law.

Club Lovely promotes itself as an establishment that employs models from Korea. Seat charges begin at 20,000 yen.

Officers seized a list of 800 regular customers that includes the names of sports stars, executives from companies listed on the Nikkei index and government workers.

Over the past two years, Club Lovely has collected 370 million yen in revenue, according to the Asahi Shimbun (June 2).