TOKYO (TR) – Two employees at a so-called “girl’s bar” in custody for forcing a female bartender into prostitution have been further accused of assaulting the victim, police said on Tuesday, reports TBS News (Nov. 5).
On October 14, police accused manager Maoya Suzuki, 39, and female employee Ai Tano, 21, of using a GPS (global positioning system) device to force the 27-year-old staff member to serve hundreds of customers between May and July.
On Tuesday, police further accused Suzuki and Tano of assaulting and threatening the staff member starting around October of last year.
Suzuki admitted to the charges. He said, “I used violence to force her to work.”
Police said that the crimes included hitting her over the head and putting her in a situation where she could not resist. “You’re not making money because you have a bad attitude toward customers,” one of the suspects said. “You’re a reckless spender, so I’m going to put you under control.”
Ai Tano (X)GPS device
Referred to as a girl’s bar, Suzuki’s establishment — E-Wave Morning — provides services similar to those on offer at a hostess club. It is located near JR Ikebukuro Station.
In the first arrest of the suspects, police said that the pair allegedly used a GPS (global positioning system) device to force the victim to engage in prostitution in the Okubo Park area.
Police also accused the suspects of forcing the staff member to sleep in the club over the same period.
During questioning on suspicion of violating the Anti-Prostitution Law, Tano has admitted to the charges. “I monitored the location information [from the GPS] and went with [Suzuki] to check if there were any streetwalkers.”
However, Suzuki denied the allegations. “I did not force her into prostitution, and I did not force her to sleep in the designated location.”
Maoya Suzuki, left and Ai Tano400 men over three months
According to police, the staff member started working at the bar last year. She then began to be subjected to violence by Suzuki, who at one point hit her with a champagne bottle.
Suzuki and Tano had the woman record her conversations with customers. When they went to check on her one time, they found she was taking a break. They then lured her into a back alley and assaulted her.
The staff member is believed to have been prostituted to around 400 men over three months, earning around 6 million yen. She remitted almost all of that amount to Suzuki. Since she was not paid, her home lease was terminated and she was forced to sleep in the bar’s backroom.
AloJapan.com