Is a dating club considered part of the sex industry?
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If my future spouse found out that I had used a dating club in the past, would they break up with me?
I consider places like men’s esthetic salons to be part of the sex industry.
I don’t believe dating clubs or papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) are part of the sex industry.
In my opinion, men’s esthetics are basically a form of sex work.
You’re touching men while dressed in lingerie, after all.
If you got engaged and your fiancé found out, I think he’d feel deceived and might even demand compensation.
As for being a strict A-type at a dating club, I’d say it’s about on the same level as being a hostess at a cabaret club. The dating club only makes the introduction, so whatever happens afterward isn’t their responsibility.
Whether you turn it into sex work after that is entirely up to you.
From the perspective of unrelated men, papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) is probably seen as sex work.
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Flag Maker, you’re absolutely right.
For one thing, most men’s esthe workers can’t do papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan).
Why, you ask?
A lot of them work at men’s esthe places because they can’t do sex work, or because they can’t work as hostesses at a cabaret club. It’s kind of halfway and gray, sure, but depending on the man, it can lean either way… (In that sense, it is pretty similar to papa-katsu.)
If they were capable of doing papa-katsu, they’d probably choose sex work instead of men’s esthe.
Also, men’s esthe is still a legitimate job, so married women properly tell their husbands about it. I’ve even met some of their husbands and interacted with them normally.
From a man’s perspective, men’s esthe workers and cabaret hostesses may be equally unpleasant—just working in different places.
With papa-katsu, though, it’s probably better not to mention it. That said, if it’s a dinner-only (no intimacy) relationship, you could choose to be honest about it.
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If you’re going to marry someone outside that world, then working in the sex industry, doing men’s esthetic massages, and papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) are secrets you should take to your grave.
I think it’s okay to tell a kind lie if it spares your partner’s feelings.
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Do you really think a man who cares about a woman’s past would say, “The sex industry is a no-go! But papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) is totally fine. Oh, so you did papa-katsu? What a relief. Papa-katsu is okay! Great, then let’s get married right away! And by the way, you can keep doing papa-katsu even after we’re married. Good luck!”? LOL.
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I’m not trying to make fun of anyone, and it’s entirely up to you if you consider men’s esthetics a sex-industry business. But any men’s esthetic worker reading this would probably be quick to point that out. Strictly speaking, under Japanese law, men’s esthetics businesses aren’t covered by the Adult Entertainment Business Law, so they aren’t classified as sex-industry businesses—as far as Joe understands it.
People also occasionally ask whether dating clubs such as Universe Club are considered part of the sex industry. I believe Universe is registered as a date club under a Tokyo ordinance. This is where Joe’s knowledge gets a little shaky, but I wonder how that ordinance relates to the Adult Entertainment Business Law. Sorry for answering a question with another question, but I’m sure Mr. Maezawa can explain the precise details.
The above is probably the legal perspective, but ultimately, I think it depends on how you personally see it. As for whether learning about your past would cause the relationship to fall apart, that depends on both you and the other person. That said, don’t underestimate what private investigators can uncover. My view is that you should assume it will basically come to light—assuming the other person hires an investigator and is willing to pay the cost.
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Some men would naturally decide to end the relationship if they found out that their partner had previously used a dating club.
You seem to regard men’s esthetic salons as part of the adult entertainment industry, but surely an onakura—where you simply watch men masturbate, which is even more low-key—would also fall into that category.
By the same token, if dating clubs and papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) are considered adult entertainment, then looking for a friend with benefits on a dating app could also be seen as a kind of adult entertainment.
In other words, don’t you think there’s little point in trying to draw a line around what counts as adult entertainment?
Personally, coming from the Showa era, I’m amazed that it has become increasingly common for people to meet a boyfriend through a dating app and get married.
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