- Akasen
nihongo|Akasen|赤線 is Japanese
slang and a collective term which was used to identify districts in Japan whereprostitution and the sex industry flourished until 1958."Akasen" means literally "red-line". The districts were the designated regions for state-regulated prostitution. Hundreds of government-sanctioned
brothels and other adult entertainment parlors were operating in these districts, with the most popular beingYoshiwara in the "Akasen" region inTokyo .Another term nihongo|Aosen|青線, literally "blue-line", was used for "non-permitted" or "non-legal" districts.
"Akasen" is often compared directly with the term
red-light district in the west. [ [http://www.goldenseed.co.uk/amsterdam.html Amsterdam Red Light District from Goldenseed] ] However, this does not explain why the counterpart "non-permitted districts" were called "Aosen" (blue-line).Abolition
On January, 1946,
GHQ issued an order nationwide to abolish commercial brothels. A portion of the brothels and parlors changed their name to nihongo|"Cafē"|カフェー or nihongo|"Ryōtei "|料亭 in order to stay in business.In 1958, the Nihongo|Anti-Prostitution Law|売春防止法|baishun-bōshi-hou was enforced, thus officially abolishing the name "Akasen" and the districts. However, this did not mean the sex related industry disappeared. To remain in operation, businesses such as nihongo|
Soapland |ソープランド|sōpurando and nihongo|Fashion health |ファッションヘルス|fashion herusu, are required to file a license application for permission to abide by the Nihongo|sex industry law|風俗営業法|hūzoku-eigyō-hou in modern days.References
ee also
*
Prostitution in Japan
*Yoshiwara
*Susukino
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