INSIDER
[Insider] “Utility Pole Girls”: Japanese Media Has a Demeaning New Buzzword for Women
A survey of 3,000 women found 58% identified with the phenomenon. But it's the label that has people riled up.
women
INSIDER
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Why Are More Japanese Girls Calling Themselves “Boku”?
How do you refer to yourself in Japanese? For most women, it’s some variant of "watashi." But for many young girls, the…
WOMEN
Solo Weddings: Why Japanese Women Are Saying “I Do” to…Themselves
Japan's marriage rate has tumbled to a postwar low. But the country's bridal industry isn't shrinking: it's pivoting.
SOCIETY
Illicit GLP-1 Trade Thrives Among Kabukicho’s Toyoko Kids – and Across Japan
GLP-1 drugs aren't approved for dietary use in Japan. That's led to a thriving black market in the streets of Tokyo and…
WOMEN
Japanese Con Cafe Worker Called “Hero” for Stabbing Train Groper with Safety Pin
A con cafe worker's tweet about stabbing a groper's hand with a safety pin on her morning commute drew near-universal praise.
INSIDER
[Insider] The Worst Person You Know Has a Point About Japan’s AV Law
Few prominent figures or politicians in Japan are willing to talk about the negative impact the law has had on Japan's porn…
SEX & NIGHTLIFE
21 Soaplands Shut Overnight, Leaving Japanese Sex Workers High and Dry
The incident highlights the shift in sex-related businesses in Japan - and the precarious situation of sex workers.
SEX & NIGHTLIFE
Japanese Women Increasingly Trafficked Overseas for Sex Work by Scout Groups
The groups have made a killing by recruiting financially vulnerable women. Ordinary Japanese travelers are feeling the blowback.