Japanese tabloids' reports of tourist sex habits 'vent anti-Chinese feeling'

Reports about the supposed sexual habits of Chinese tourists and the problems they are causing in Japan's red-light districts have been dismissed as simply another way for the tabloids here to belittle the Chinese.

Two of Japan's biggest-selling monthly magazines - Cyzo and the Shukan Post - have both run similar stories in their latest editions critical of Chinese men looking for sex in Japan.

Under the headline "Wealthy Chinese paramours get to do anything they want in Japanese sex shops", the Shukan Post describes the behaviour of the visitors as "a national insult to Japan".

Interviewing sex industry workers, the story claims Chinese men often bring their computers to brothels, show the woman a Japanese adult video and then demand the same sort of service.

One of the most popular requests is to be able to eat sushi off a naked woman, it reports.

Cyzo claims that "soaplands" - the erotic bathhouses that are a staple of Japan's red-light districts - in the infamous Yoshiwara brothel quarter of Tokyo have introduced a blanket ban on Chinese customers due to "cultural differences".

An employee of one of the establishments said the language difficulties were hard to overcome and that Chinese men did not understand the payment system. They assumed the entrance fee, typically Y15,000 (HK$1,142), was the full price and became angry when they were required to pay Y30,000 (HK$2,284) for the ministrations of the "awa hime", or foam princess.