OSAKA — The Osaka District Court has dismissed a damage lawsuit filed by a former investment company representative who claimed a Kitashinchi hostess swindled him out of 2 billion yen under the false promise of marriage, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Apr. 10).
According to the ruling handed down on February 26, the court rejected Sho Kikuchi’s claims of marriage fraud, highlighting the legal complexities of interpreting “romantic sales” (irokoi-eigyo) in the nightlife industry.
The plaintiff, a former director at investment company Exia LLC, first met Himeka Nakamoto in March 2021 when he visited a hostess club in Osaka City’s high-end Kitashinchi entertainment district as a customer. The two quickly began what he believed was a genuine romantic relationship.
By October of that year, their exchanges escalated. The man sent a message via the Line messaging app stating, “Please absolutely become my bride.” The hostess enthusiastically replied, “I love you. I will!”
The following month, Nakamoto further fueled his expectations by messaging, “Make me your bride. I love you.”
Osaka City’s Kitashinchi (The Tokyo Reporter)Bound for the altar
Convinced they were bound for the altar, the plaintiff showered the hostess with massive amounts of cash and luxury items, which he claims eventually totaled a staggering 2 billion yen. The centerpiece of his lavish spending was a 35-million-yen diamond ring, which he presented to her on Christmas Eve in 2021.
However, the “honeymoon” phase eventually collapsed. By January 2023, Nakamoto had sent a message abruptly ending the relationship.
Infuriated and feeling deceived, Kikuchi filed a civil lawsuit with the Osaka District Court in March 2025 seeking 38.5 million yen in damages.
The plaintiff argued that the hostess maliciously manipulated his romantic feelings to extract exorbitant amounts of money and luxury goods.
While a revised Entertainment Business Law implemented last year explicitly cracked down on irokoi-eigyo — the practice of exploiting a customer’s romantic feelings for financial gain — the court ultimately ruled that the woman’s actions did not meet the legal threshold for marriage fraud.
The controversial verdict underscores the steep legal barriers faced by nightlife patrons attempting to prove fraudulent intent behind the sweet words exchanged in the shadows of the club scene.
AloJapan.com