Toyoko Kids: The Dangers Faced by Japan’s Street Youth

Toyoko Kids - people sitting in Toyoko in the wee hours of the morning
A lack of options leads the so-called "Toyoko Kids" to hang out in the streets of Kabukicho, where they face numerous dangers - from OTC drug abuse to predatory adults.

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A group of black-clad young people congregate in the shadow of the Godzilla statue in Kabukichō. The area next to the Toho building has become ground zero for a social epidemic. These aren’t partiers. These are the “Toyoko Kids”. Made up of runaways and other disenfranchised youths, they’ve become an increasingly serious issue.

Trigger warning: This article contains discussions of sexual assault, violence, and substance abuse. Please be cognizant of sensitivities before reading further.

A by-product of the pandemic

Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan
Picture: Ryuji / PIXTA(ピクスタ)

The origins of the “Toyoko Kids” began around 2018. In preparation for the 2020 Olympics, Tokyo attempted to clean up its image. They cleared out the area around Toho Cinema of homeless people and gave them government housing far from tourists’ eyes.

As we know, things didn’t go as planned. The COVID-19 pandemic derailed the Olympics and caused global social disruption.

The COVID-19 pandemic closed schools in Japan in early 2020. Parents continued to work while children were left to their own devices. Home life for many also became increasingly fraught and abusive under pandemic restrictions.

Japan doesn’t have strong protections for abused children. Those removed from their homes end up in government care facilities that can be just as abusive.

With little help available for those suffering, many took to the streets. Thus, the number of young people hanging out in Kabukicho drastically increased.

Not all of the kids come from abusive homes. Some are victims of bullying or impossibly high expectations at school. Those unable to cope with the stress and harassment will refuse to attend. The same issue is the root cause of Japan’s Hikikomori or shut-ins, who choose to withdraw from society altogether.

The Toyoko Kids instead have created a separate community within the larger society. Many express that they found other youths here more welcoming and easier to talk to.

“I often pick up young girls here for dates”

While the sense of community may be beneficial to these adolescents’ social bonds, there are very real dangers all around.

Kabukicho is famous for being one of the seedier areas of Tokyo. Even adults have a hard time avoiding the pitfalls of the area. Touts looking to scam and rob unwitting tourists and locals are not uncommon. Sex work is rampant, and not always above board.

As runaways, most of the Toyoko kids live on the street, and girls turn to sex work as a way to make money to survive. In this area, there is no shortage of men waiting to take advantage of them.

Tokyo Shinbun reports that 3 separate men were arrested for violating the Child Prostitution and Pornography Act for soliciting sexual acts with an 11-year-old elementary student on April 10th, 2023. One of the men offered to take her to a hotel and pay her 5000 yen($31) if he could touch her. He then sexually assaulted her.

Another man admitted to soliciting her but said he assumed she was a JR high or High school student but never bothered verifying her age. He also shamelessly admitted to often picking up girls in the area.

When asked why she ran away the 6th grader replied, “I was worried about trouble with my friends, I was told if you go to Toyoko, someone will be willing to listen to you”.

Overdose is a daily occurrence

Women stand along the sidewalks of Toyoko. Most are acting as barkers for concept cafes, girl’s bars, and similar legal establishments. However, some engage in illegal touting or even street prostitution, which is illegal under Japanese law. (Picture: image_culture / Shutterstock)

Sex work is not the only dangerous behavior these kids fall victim to. Drug use is widespread, and intentional overdose is common.

Japan is famous for its strict illicit drug laws, but those looking for a high have found a loophole through OTC medication, which can contain small amounts of codeine. New laws limiting the amount of cold medicine you can purchase at one time are in place but easily evaded.

Those hoping to escape the reality of life on the streets will take an excess of cold medication, sometimes as much as 80 pills. The luckier users end up in the emergency room. Far too many don’t survive.

One Toyoko Kid who recently lost a friend to an overdose says, “In this area, there are too many people dying. Now, when I hear about it, I don’t feel anything.”

Senseless violence

Sexual exploitation and substance abuse are huge issues. However, the growing violence of the group is causing concern.

In June of 2021, a video went viral on social media of a 15-year-old boy trampling the head of a 60-year-old unhoused man. The video caused widespread outrage on social media, and the boy was charged with assault.

In November of that same year, four assailants, Sekiguchi Juki(26), Kametani Aoi(24), and two unnamed men (both 18), brutally assaulted 43-year-old Ujiie Akira. the assault went on for 6 hours. Ujiie was a member of an outreach group that often brought the Toyoko kids food and generally watched out for them. Two other minors watched the attack occur but stood by out of fear for their own lives.

The adult attackers claimed to have ties to biker gangs and the criminal underworld. Local business owners and patrons are worried that more sinister actors are infiltrating the group.

It’s becoming more widespread

Picture: genki / PIXTA(ピクスタ)

The Toyoko Kids have a strong social media presence. A quick search on sites like YouTube or TikTok will produce numerous videos. Many of the videos are disturbing, showing underage drinking, drug use, and frank discussions of sex acts. Disenfranchised youths watching the videos have flocked from all over the country in hopes of finding connections with like-minded souls.

However, not everyone has decided to make the trek to Tokyo. Similar groups are popping up all over Japan. Under the Glico sign in Osaka, there are the Glico Kids. Fukushima has the Kego neighborhood group. Hokkaido has the Susukino neighborhood group.

With this becoming a countrywide issue, one has to wonder when law enforcement will start cracking down. More importantly, what can be done so that children don’t turn to the streets for understanding?

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What to read next

Sources

トー横家出の小6女児に暴行 不同意性交疑いで男逮捕 警視庁が注意呼びかけ 女児、1日で3人の男から被害. Tokyo Shimbun

オーバードーズやめた女子高校生~友人を亡くして気づいたこと. NHK News

亡くなる人が多すぎて、何も思わない」…21歳女性が明かす「トー横」の悲しい現実. Gendai Media

歌舞伎町ビル殺人事件 「トー横キッズ」とトラブルか? 40代被害者は“平和テロリスト集団”のホームレス. Daily Shincho

《暴行動画流出》“10代の聖地”歌舞伎町トー横で15歳少年が60代男性に傷害「少年は芸能界を目指して上京したばかり」. Bunshun Online

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