Licensed Prostitution System in Korea under the Japanese Empire

---

The Licensed Prostitution System in Korea under the Japanese Empire

Overview

In Japan, a licensed prostitution system was established in 1900 to prevent the transmission of venereal diseases (STD) and maintain public order and morals. Licensed prostitutes were required to undergo periodic STD examinations, and their business was limited to areas designated by the local governors.

In 1910, the Korean peninsula was annexed to the Japanese Empire, and in 1916, the licensed prostitution system similar to that on the Japanese mainland was introduced. The relevant laws consisted of the regulations on kashizasiki and syōgi, the regulations on ryōri-ya and insyoku-ten business,　and the regulations on geigi, syakufu and geigi-okiya business. These regulations specified the application procedures, compliance requirements, and items to report to police for operators of kashizasiki, ryōri-ya and geisha house, as well as the structural requirements and location designated for kashizasiki, ryōri-ya, and geisha house buildings. And also these designated application procedures, licensing requirements, compliance requirements, and items to report to police for syōgi, geisha and syakufu.

Women engaged in sexual services were classified as syōgi, geisha (including gisaeng), and syakufu. A syōgi was a woman who provided sex services in kashizasiki, a geisha was a woman who performed traditional songs and dances for customers at a banquet in ryōri-ya and was paid for her services, and a syakufu was a woman who served drinks to customers at a banquet in ryōri-ya and was paid for her services. The places where syōgi worked were limited to kasizasiki, but geisha and shakufu were also permitted to provide sex services at ryōri-ya that met the conditions of kasizasiki (structure and location) by obtaining the license of syōgi. These sex service business was under the control of police, and the annual statistics reports state the number of ryōri-ya, geisha house and kashizasiki, the number of geisha, syakufu and syōgi, the number of intermediaries, and the number of STD examinations and incidence rates of geisha, syakufu and syōgi, etc. These data are recorded separately for Japanese, Koreans and others.

Regulations for kashizasiki, geisha houses and ryōri-ya operators

Application procedures, business license areas and prohibition of concurrent business

In order to operate a kashizasiki, a geisha house, or a ryōri-ya, it was necessary to apply to the chief of the police station for permission. Table 1 shows the documents required for the application procedure and the permitted areas. From the viewpoint of maintaining public morals, the location of kasizasiki was limited to areas designated by the local governor. In the case of a ryōri-ya offering sex services, the business area was also restricted in the same way as for kashizasiki.

Operators of kashizasiki (Article 6), geisha house (Article 10), and ryōri-ya (Article 5) were prohibited from engaging in the business of hiring agents by householders or family members living together, and from engaging in other business within the same house, namely, a geisha house and ryōri-ya for those operating kasizasiki, a kashizasiki and ryōri-ya for those operating geisha house, and a kasizasiki and geisha house for those operating ryōri-ya

Table 1 Application procedures of operators and business area

Items	Operators
	Kashizasiki	Geisha house	Ryōri-ya
Application procedures	Article 1; 1. Permanent domicile, address, name, date of birth　 2. Name of shōgi, if any 3. Location of business building 4. A plan showing the layout of the building, the stairs, the kitchen, the bathroom, the toilets, the sewage treatment facilities, etc.	Article 9; 1 to 3:same as kasizasiki 4. Number of geisha staying 5. Floor plan of the building, square footage, and a floor plan of the geisha's room	Article 1; Same as kashizasiki
Area of business license	Article 3; Area designated by the local governor	Article 18; When it is deemed necessary for regulation, it is possible to restrict the area where geisha and shakufureside or where geisha houses are located. ||

Structural requirements for kashizasiki and ryōri-ya buildings

With a view to ensuring public morals, hygiene, and the safety of customers in the event of an emergency, structural requirements for kashizasiki and ryōri-ya buildings were established. These requirements were the same for both.

Compliance and balance statement preparation

Syōgi, geisha and syakufu were employed by the operators of kasizasiki, geisha house, and ryōri-ya, respectively, under multi-year indentured service contracts with advance payment. Among the items to be complied with by each operator as stipulated in the law, those pertaining to syōgi, geisha and syakufu, as well as an article of the preparation of the balance statement, are shown in Table 2. These articles stipulated that these women would not be treated unfairly by the operators, and the contents of the balance statements were verified by the police. Those who violated these articles were detained or fined.

Table 2　Compliance of operators and balance statement

Items	Operators
	Kashizasiki	Geisha house	Ryōri-ya
Compliance	Article 7; 1 to 13. Items omitted 13. Not permit a person with an infectious disease to entertain customers or handle food, drink, tableware, or bedding. 14. Not force a change of contract or employer against the will of the shōgi. 15. Not permit to work or abuse shōgi during illness or after the sixth month of pregnancy and before the second month of childbirth. 16. Not permit shogi wastes her money 17. Not abuse shōgi's contract, business closure, correspondence, or interview, or permit others to interfere. 18. If shōgi becomes ill, she shall be promptly treated by a doctor or a medical student.	Article 11; 1. Not let geisha put on makeup in a place where it can be seen from the outside. 2. Same as 14. 3. Not geisha force to work or abused. 4. Same as 16. 5. Same as 17. 6. Not let geisha to induce guests or provide services 7. Same as 18.	Artcle 6; 1 to 5, 7, 9, 11 to 13 : same as Kashizasiki 6. Appropriate equipment should be used for food and drink to prevent dust or insects from adhering. 8. Not close the door during business hours 10. Not permit guests to stay 11. Not permit geisha to stay 12. Not permit geisha and syakufu to attend unless the guest asks for them.
Preparation and sealing of balance statement	Article 10; The operator shall prepare two copies of the income/expense statement for each shōgi and give one copy to the shōgi. By the third day of each month, the operator must calculate the balance for the previous month and affix operator’s seal together with the shōgi.	Article 12; Same as kashizasiki. However, this does not apply when there are other employers.

Intermediaries contracts

Intermediaries

Intermediaries (also called recruiters or pimps) were in the business of introducing syōgi, geisha, or syakufu to their employers, and received commissions from both when a contract was concluded. The number of intermediaries is listed in the annual reports of the Korean Governor-General's Office statistics.

Written contract

A contract between a syōgi, geisha, or syakufu and an employer shall contain the following items:

Contract amount: advance payment (i.e. advance loan) paid to the contract signer at the time of contract Contract period: during the contract period, repay the advance payment from the earnings Terms of contract Interest on the advance loan: generally borne by the employer Repayment method: employer deducts from monthly earnings as expenses, or returns monthly from employee's share of earnings Expenses: generally, meals, room charges, bedding, utilities, and other operating expenses were borne by the employer. For geisha, the cost of training to obtain a geisha license was added to the employer's expenses. Earnings distribution: generally, the balance after deducting the above expenses is distributed between both parties (when the employee returns the advance loan from the distribution) Medical expenses: generally, the employer paid for medical treatment in the case of STD infection. In other cases, the employee beared the cost. Handling at the time of cancellation: When closing the business during the period, the amount would be calculated on a pro-rata basis. The contractor was obligated to return the remaining amount of the advance loan, the penalty, and the miscellaneous expenses required at the time of employment.

Cancellation of license

The chief of police may suspend or revoke the business license of a ryōri-ya, geisha house, or kashizasiki business operators if it was recognized that any of the following items applied.

1. When it is found that the license was granted under false pretenses.

2. When operating without having the building inspected and approved, or when violating the prohibition of employment agency business.

3. Failure to comply with orders for fire prevention and emergency exit measures.

4. When there is a risk of damaging public safety, disturbing public morals, or impairing hygiene.

5. When it is recognized that the name of the applicant has been lent to another person.

Regulations for shōgi, geisha and syakufu

Application procedure and permission conditions

The application procedures and permission conditions for obtaining licenses for shōgi, geisha and syakufu are shown in Table 3. In the case of shōgis, it was necessary to appear at the police station in order to confirm their wills during the application process. The permission conditions were the same for all three, except that shōgi must be at least 17 years old. Married women cannot work as prostitutes.

Table 3 Application procedures and permit conditions for shōgi, geisha and syakufu

Items	Shōgi	Geisha and Syakufu
Application	Article 16. A person who wishes to engage in the business of a prostitute shall present herself to the chief of police and apply for and receive permission from the chief of police, with an application form stating the principal domicile, address, name, name of shōgi, date of birth, and place of business, and signed jointly by the operator of kashizasiki business, together with the following documents	Article 1. A person who wishes to engage in geisha (including gisaeng, the same shall apply hereinafter) or syakufu business shall submit a written application to the chief of police, stating the person's permanent domicile, address, name, date of birth, place of employment, and, if the person has a professional name, the professional name, together with the following documents to obtain permission. If the applicant has an employer, the application must be jointly signed by the employer.
Attached documents	1. Father's written consent; if father unknown, deceased, left home, or unable to exercise parental authority, written consent of mother at home; if absent, written consent of mother; if mother also deceased, left home, or unable to exercise parental authority, written consent of guardian for a minor or householder or person responsible for support for an adult; or a letter explaining that there is no one to give written consent. 2. Certificate of seal impression of the person giving consent listed in the preceding item　 3. A copy of family register 4. A copy of the contract concerning the shōgi business and advance loan 5. A document stating the background and reasons for being a shōgi 6. Medical certificate from a doctor or medical student designated by the chief of police	1 to 3, 5, 6 : same as kashizasiki 4. A copy of the contract concerning the business and advance loan, when the employee is
Permission conditions	Article 17. A shōgi business shall not be permitted if it falls under any one of the following items. 1. Persons under 17 years old 2. Persons with infectious diseases 3. When there is no consent from the person stated in the first item of the preceding paragraph, or when there is no explanation that there is no one to give consent 4. When a contract regarding kashizasiki business or advance payment is recognized unreasonable. Married women cannot work as prostitutes.	Article 2. The chief of police shall not permit a person who falls under any of the following items to operate a geisha or syakufu 1. Persons with infectious diseases 2. If there is a risk of harm to public morals 3. When there is no consent from the person stated in the first item of the preceding paragraph, or when there is no explanation that there is no one to give consent 4. when the contract with the employer is recognized unreasonable

Restrictions and compliance items for syōgi, geisha and shakufu

Prohibition of business

The working of a syōgi is prohibited during the period of pregnancy of six months or more and within two months of childbirth, and when the results of a medical examination indicate that the syōgi is not permitted to work.

Place of working

The place of working for syōgis was restricted to kashizasikis, and the place of working for geisha and syakufu was restricted to ryōri-yas or kashizasikis.

Place of Residence

The place of residence of a syōgi was restricted to a kashizasiki, that of a geisha to a geisha house or home, and that of a syakufu to a ryōri-ya or home. A geisha or syakufu was required to notify the chief of police in advance when traveling for more than one night or when closed for more than 10 days.

Compliance

Syōgi, geisha, and syakufu were required to carry a permit while working and were forbidden to call on customers. In addition, syōgi and syakufu were prohibited from performing dance and music in the guest seats.

Medical Examinations

Syōgie were required to submit to periodic medical examinations. Geisha and syakufu, on the other hand, were obliged to submit only when ordered to do so by the chief of police.

Business closure

When a shōgi closed her business, she had to notify the chief of police in person. Although she was free to close her business, the persons who signed the contract with her were obliged to repay the advance payment and other expenses.

Table 4 Residence, place of business, compliance, and medical examinations of shōgi, geisha and syakufu

Items	Shōgi	Geisha	Syakufu
Prohibition of work	Article 18; from 6th month of pregnancy to 2 months after childbirth. Article 27; when a health check reveals that she is unable to work or have a contagious disease
Place of work	Article 19; not allowed to work outside the kashiasiki
Place of residence	Article 21; not allowed to reside or stay outside the kasizasiki. However, this does not apply if permission is obtained from the chief of police for nursing care of parents, recuperation after moving to another place, or other unavoidable reasons.	Article 3; not to reside at yadoya, ryōuri-ya, or insyokuten	Article 3; not allow to reside at yadoya or insyokuten
Compliance	Article 22; 1. carry your business license and health certificate while working 2. not solicit entertainment from passersby 3. not dance or play music in the guest seats	Article 4; 1. not to work in yadoyas and insyokutens 2. carry your business license while working 3. not to induce customers to visit the geisha house or home.	Article 4; 1 to 3; same as geisha Article 5; not dance or play music in the guest seats
Health examination	Article 23. Shōgi shall undergo periodic or occasional medical examinations. The health examination form, the location of the health examination, and the date of the periodic health examination shall be designated by the chief of police.	Article 8. The chief of police may order the geisha to undergo an examination by a doctor or medical student designated by the chief, or to submit a medical certificate.	Same as geisha
Notification of business closure	Article 29; when a business closes, notify the chief of police immediately with the permit.	Article 13; geisha house operators must notify the chief of police within 10 days when a geisha goes out of business.

Acquisition of double license

The wages of geisha and shakufu were not enough to support their livelihoods, and in fact they obtained licenses as syōgi and also worked as sex services. In this case, the place of business was mainly a ryōri-ya, the geisha were employed by the geisha house operator, and the shakufu were employed by the ryōri-ya operator. However, guests were not allowed to stay at the ryōri-ya.

Their annual STD examination results are listed in the annual reports of the Korean Governor-General's Office statistics. The three venereal infection rate values were within a range of variability.

Police records related to adult entertainment business

Number of operators and women

Table 5 shows the number of ryōri-yas, geisha houses and kashizasikis, geisha, syōgi and shakufu, intermediaries registered with the police in 1939, 1940 and 1942

Table 5 Police records for sex service business

Items		1939	1940	1942
Breakdown	Ethnic name
Ryōriya	Japanese	597	567	515
	Koreans	1,154	1,122	1,007
	Others	82	89	94
	Total	1,833	1,778	1,616
Geisha house	Japanese	214	222	209
	Koreans	129	107	80
	Others	0	0	0
	Total	343	329	289
Geisha	Japanese	2,226	2,280	1,797
	Koreans	6,122	6,023	4,490
	Others	0	2	0
	Total	8348	8,305	6,287
Kasizasiki	Japanese	235	233	219
	Koreans	303	247	250
	Others	1	0	0
	Total	539	480	49
Syōgi	Japanese	1,845	1,777	1,774
	Koreans	1,866	2,157	2,076
	Others	1	0	0
	Total	3,712	3,934	3,850
Syakufu	Japanese	351	216	240
	Koreans	1,145	1,400	1,376
	Others	0	0	0
	Total	1,796	1,616	1,616
Intermediaris	Japanese	197	224	194
	Koreans	3,380	3,557	3,537
	Others	0	0	1
	Total	3,577	3,781	3,732

Number of STD examination and infection rates

The number of venereal disease tests, infection rates, number of red-light districts for the period 1933-1940 are shown in Table 6.

Table 6 STD examination records of syōgis, geishas, and syakufus

Year	Total number			Infection rate (%)			Number of red-light districts	Number of clinics
	Syōgi	Geisha	Syakufu	Syōgi	Geisha	Syakufu
1933	144,547	78,696	67,227	5.8	4.0	4.3	27	46
1934	144,144	83,512	71,645	5.6	3.4	4.6	28	270
1935	163,870	85,988	73,088	5.3	4.2	4.9	28	62
1936	179,911	97,547	89,035	4.9	4.1	4.5	29	302
1937	182,237	112,139	88,068	4.9	4.2	4.7	30	328
1938	176,736	109,377	79,563	4.3	3.6	4.3	29	304
1939	182,568	109,889	78,262	4.5	5.2	3.9	29	292
1940	221,182	110,156	76,111	4.3	3.9	3.9	29	269

Reference

This article "Licensed Prostitution System in Korea under the Japanese Empire" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Licensed Prostitution System in Korea under the Japanese Empire. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

---