Thank you, as always, for supporting PAPS and its work. On April 7, 2026, PAPS was invited to the second meeting of the Ministry of Justice's "Study Group on the Regulation of Prostitution", where we spoke about the realities on the ground and the need for legal reform as seen from the field. The study group was established for the national government to review Japan's current laws and regulations concerning prostitution. In this newsletter, we report to our supporters on wha

Once an image spreads on the internet, finding it again is extremely difficult. Images end up on social media, message boards, overseas sites, and video sites—there is a limit to how much can be done by human hands alone. Since 2019, with a grant from the Mitsubishi Foundation, PAPS has researched and developed countermeasures using machine learning, and since fiscal 2022 we have worked in earnest on an AI-powered support system.

PAPS has developed a new leaflet on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) for young women in Tokyo’s downtown areas. While most STI materials focus on medical facts such as symptoms, transmission, and treatment, this leaflet addresses the deeper issue: why young people are unfairly forced to bear the risks. By deliberately using the slang term “oji”—a word young people use to describe exploitative older men—it exposes the structures of prostitution and sexual exploitation.

Night outreach in August This summer, in addition to our counseling and support work in Japan, PAPS put energy into international collaboration and communications. We learn from developments overseas as we consider the institutional reforms Japan needs. Through collaboration with international companies, we hope to prevent harm before it happens and let as many people as possible know that there is a place they can safely turn to. We believe that cooperation across borders a

Nighttime outreach in Tokyo ＜Videos in Spread, Spreading Can Be Stopped＞ In May, 366 people contacted us for the first time, with...

An event with 15 participants including PAPS staff and Night Café visitors — Facing Challenges Without Hesitation in a Shifting Society —...

Relief supplies sent to the Night Cafe by everyone “If someone is in trouble, I want to help.”This simple yet powerful wish is what...

1. Hotline & Content Removal Requests In January 2025, we received hotlines from 394 new individuals, marking the highest number of...