JAPAN: Will Sell Body for Education

LEXIE TUCKER WRITES – Paying for college isn’t easy. Either you were lucky enough to have parents who started saving from the time you were born, or you’re forced to take out loans in ungodly amounts to help fund your outrageously expensive education. Of course, part-time jobs are an option. You may find work at a local supermarket, restaurant, or even a street corner – something more and more Japanese college girls have resorted to.

In Atsuhiko Nakamura’s book Japan’s Sex Workers, it is revealed that many female college students are entering the industry as a way of overcoming major money issues. This isn’t a new gig, since many university women have turned to prostitution in order to afford expensive luxury goods in the past. Now, however, the reason is not so glamorous. According to Nakamura, “…nowadays, these girls are selling their bodies to pay for tuition and living expenses.” 

Unlike working in the customer service industry, prostitution pays better and scheduling is rather flexible, making it an ideal way to bring in cash needed to support a starving college student. Pretty, intelligent girls are always in demand- no need to ask if they are hiring. The manager of a “delivery health” shop (where men can pick up one of these girls for a substanial fee) explains in a Shukan Post article, “If two girls look similar, a customer will prefer the one with a higher educational background…. If we say we have a girl from such and such university, the number of repeaters increases.” The more prestigious the university, the more a John must shell out.

Whether or not you live in a first world country, selling your body is a common way to make ends meet. It’s not unusual for female American college students to work at strip clubs to help alleviate their financial woes as well. While it’s horrible that women feel the need to resort to this to simply afford an education, it’s the dirty jobs that often come with the biggest paycheck. Minimum wage doesn’t even come close to the 50,000 yen (about $500) they can make per customer. I’d take that over flipping burgers any day.