Enjokosai in Japan: Rethinking the Dual Image of Prostitutes in Japanese and American Law

This Article details the various laws in both Japan and the United States affecting and regulating prostitution.Specifically, Tsubasa Wakabayashi examines enjokosai, an unconventional style of teenage prostitution and further analyzes whether it is a valid occupation or a form of exploitation.She begins by discussing the background of enjokosai by exploring Japanese history and customs regarding sex and prostitution.Ms. Wakabayashi then demonstrates how sex, prostitution, and the sexual activity of minors are treated under Japanese law.This treatment is later compared to federal and state laws in the Unites States, particularly laws affecting teenage prostitution.Finally, she argues that Japanese laws are improperly based upon fixed notions of sex, paternalism, and genderprejudice, which result in an improper analysis of prostitution as a form of exploitation rather than a chosen occupation.