Tokyo massage parlor operator Masayuki Hosono faces six‑year prison request

Prosecutors in Tokyo have asked a court to impose a six‑year prison term and a fine of ¥2 million on former massage‑parlor operator Masayuki Hosono for forcing a 12‑year‑old Thai girl to provide sexual services between June and August last year. The indictment alleges Hosono ignored the girl’s age, failing to verify her identity despite being told by the girl’s mother that she was a 20‑year‑old sister. The defense argues the operator was unaware of the girl’s minority and that a manager handled recruitment. Prosecutors say a simple passport check would have revealed the truth and note the girl suffered severe psychological harm. A related case in Thailand saw the girl’s mother sentenced to seven years and six months for human‑trafficking offences. The Tokyo District Court will deliver its ruling on 15 September.