Osaka has painted a notorious street yellow to deter prostitution ahead of the 2025 Expo
Osaka: A street in the city’s red light district has undergone a colorful transformation. They painted it yellow and added some cool murals to help reduce prostitution.
This change happened last month in Kita Ward, a spot known for its shady activities. The idea is to see if the bright color can change how people behave in the area. The street is about 100 meters long and now features fun aquatic life murals.
Officials hope this new look will make women think twice before trying to find customers, especially with the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo coming up. If it works, they might try this approach in other areas too.
Last year, police arrested 30 women for breaking Japan’s prostitution prevention laws. It’s clear that local authorities are stepping up their game to tackle illegal sex work in these red light zones.
Interestingly, the idea to repaint the street came after police efforts to control the situation didn’t really help. Just last October, a businessman was caught for forcing 150 women into prostitution to pay off a huge debt.
In Tokyo’s Kabukicho district, a park has become a hotspot for sex tourism, revealing gaps in the anti-prostitution laws from 1956. While prostitution is illegal in Japan, some adult entertainment forms, like “soaplands,” find a way around the rules.
Soaplands allow customers to engage in non-penetrative sex acts, which are technically legal. There are also “fashion health” places that offer similar services disguised as massages or companionship.
