Number of store-based sex businesses in Japan 2023, by type
In 2023, approximately 4.72 thousand motels and so-called love hotels were operating in Japan, making them the most common store-based business type within the Japanese sex industry.
While prostitution is officially illegal in Japan, the domestic adult entertainment industry took advantage of legal loopholes to work around this ban. Besides store-based services, business concepts within the adult entertainment industry include call-girl services, delivery services for adult-only items, or video- and phone-based services.