.
I don't know what the reputation of The Tokyo Reporter is (you may notice their claim of being in operation since 2008), but if it can pass off as a respectable news source for the Japanese (since the language is English, the rag is probably geared toward foreigners interested in Japan, rather than the natives), how interesting that so many of their stories center on pornography.
In the USA, no mainstream news operation would normally cover porn as a topic, unless the porn-insider committed a crime. Could this be reflective of more liberal attitudes of the Japanese toward adult fare? (Or at least honest attitudes, in the knowledge that many readers would be interested in the topic, and thus, why not cater to them?)
(Given the disclaimers at the bottom of their articles, I am getting the idea all The Tokyo Reporter does is collect articles from around the Japanese sphere, then put up the translated versions. Yet even if The Tokyo Reporter does not serve as the original source, it's still interesting that a wide spectrum of the Japanese media does not shy away from the porno topic.)
What follows are more articles on Japanese porn that some of you may be interested in.
Direct links to the articles are provided. You may want to access them for additional links, and for a few pictures.
--------------------------------------------------
ARTICLE ONE
Porn Actresses Pen Salacious Memoirs in Chasing Legacy of Ai Iijima
Realizing that playing with pens might be more beneficial than swords, former and current AV (adult video) actresses have released titillating tell-all memoirs over the past year as they pursue the fame of former starlet Ai Iijima, the author of the million-selling book “Platonic Sex†who died in late 2008, reports Shukan Shincho (Mar. 25).
Honoka resigned from the AV business a year ago, after starring in 50 films over a career that spanned five years. Her biography “The Basket†was released on January 18. The weekly provides one excerpt.
“He said, ‘Lick it.’ But I didn’t know what that meant, so I just followed his lead. ‘We’ll finish inside your mouth, and you’ll swallow it.’ I tried to imagine something drinkable but I didn’t know what kind of liquid would could be. I still wasn’t sure what was gonna happen. When he finished he smiled. ‘Let’s do it again sometime.’ Then the next thing I knew he was out the door. I was less than 10 years old at the time.â€
A representative of publishing company Shufunotomo says that “The Basket†is really popular with girls. “The level of ‘Platonic Sex’ is our target,†the exec explains, referring to Iijima’s 2001 semi-autobiographical novel about the life of a runway who eventually winds up in adult video.
This is the 26-year-old’s second venture as a writer. Her first, “Koakuma Sex,†went on sale through publisher Best Shinsho in January of last year.
Saori Hara, 22, initially wanted to be an idol but wound up in porn, yet unlike Honoka she is still at it. Shueisha released her confessional “My Real Name is Mai Kato: Why I became an AV Girl†last December.
Saori Hara, STAR 267; for more on the lady, visit her thread on Akiba-Online
“The actor opened his hand in front of me,†she writes. “It seemed really wet, filled with sweat…This part of the shooting was only supposed to take a few seconds. But then I realized that the wetness was from me, from down there. At that moment, it was spurting out of me. I felt messy, ashamed and sad. A lot of feelings were in my heart and mind, combating one another, and just like that it was over.â€
Shukan Shincho reports that she has become Japan’s number one AV girl and the second printing of “My Real Name is Mai Kato†has sold 10,000 copies, largely the result of a boost in popularity following being served papers with renowned photographer Kishin Shinoyama in January. The pair were cited for violations of public decency laws after shooting explicit photographs in the Tokyo area for inclusion in Shinoyama’s book “No Nude by Kishin 1 20XX Tokyo.â€
Having better luck making it in the conventional entertainment industry is Mihiro, 27, who appears on television variety programs and in theatrical productions. Not surprisingly — given the direction of the article — she also performs naked in front of the camera, which is the subject of her memoir, appropriately titled “Nude,†released by Kodansha last May.
“The shoot had already started,†she conveys, recalling her first experience acting in a threesome. “The director barked, ‘Start!’ and things got going quickly. ‘Can I insert it, Mihiro-chan?’ I closed my eyes, waiting for him. But the other guy asked me to touch him. ‘Suck me,’ he commanded, and then his hardened thing was pushed into my mouth. ‘Ah,’ he moaned…at the same time, I felt something warm and hard entering me down below.â€
As with Iijima, Mihoro admits that her narrative is not a completely factual account. “I cannot write all fiction,†she says. “So I wrote half real stories mixed with half fantasy.â€
Adult media writer Rio Yasuda says that the AV business is assimilating itself with popular culture much more than ever before,†the writer explains “These girls used to live in another world, but now that is not the case. The stigma has faded.â€
Shukan Shincho is hesitant to anoint any of these ladies as the second coming of Iijima, but it salivates at the prospect of perusing future entries. (A.T.)
Source: “Mezasu ha ‘daini no Iijima Ai’ toiu AVjo tachino ‘kokuhakuhon,’†Shukan Shincho (Mar. 25, pages 47-48)
Direct Link:
http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2010/0...cious-memoirs-in-chasing-legacy-of-ai-iijima/
ARTICLE TWO
VD fears, Sexual Discrimination Cause Japan’s AV Actors to Unionize
On April 1, veteran actors from within the adult video (AV) industry established the Japan Porn Actors Association (JPAA) in an effort to improve working conditions.
The JPAA logo... Why partly in English? By the way, if you click on the above link for their site, and can withstand the slowly-scrolling faces, you may recognize some familiar ones among them - including, the Creep, the Un-Juvenile Delinquent, and Mr. Dignified. See link for "Tubby," below.
Appearing on the group’s board of directors is actor Taku Yoshimura, who tells Nikkan Gendai (Apr. 17) that one concern is the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
Taku Yoshimura? Why, that would be the lovable Tubby! Here he is, with Tsubomi, in CWM 093.
“The first step is to to ensure that actors receive a test for STDs once every four weeks,†says Yoshimura.
Discounts for testing will be available. Members going to a clinic in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward will be eligible to receive an examination for 8,500 yen, as opposed to the standard 10,000-yen fee.
“In May, we are inviting a specialist to host a workshop on the prevention of STDs,†says Yoshimura.
The site has approximately 50 actors currently enrolled. A membership fee of 20,000 yen (200 dollars) is required. A profile for each actor lists a number of characteristics, including height, weight, penis length, the probability of achieving a full erection and hobbies.
AV writer Kazuo Kajiyama says that another challenge faced by the industry’s stick men is sexual discrimination.
“If an actor passes VD onto an actress through a kiss or vaginal ejaculation it is not rare for him to be banned by a manufacturer,†says Kajiyama. “The talent agency of the actress will then apply a ‘sick actor’ label upon him.â€
The writer says that this kind of condemnation occurs without proof that he (and not her) was the source of the problem. “Sexual discrimination is persistent,†he says.
Salaries for actors are low. Notables can fetch fees of 18,000 yen per film ($180) while “soup†men, a category of secondary performers who are tasked with ejaculating on the face of the lead actress, make less than half of that figure.
Adding insult to injurious wages is the general abuse actors receive. Talent agencies for actresses hire thugs to intimidate and rough up actors to prevent any amorous activities from taking place off the set.
“Another aim of the association is to prevent such violence,†says an AV director.
A seemingly dream job can in fact be quite hard, clucks Nikkan Gendai. (A.T.)
Source: “‘AV Danyu Kyokai’ setsuritsu no ura ni seibyo, boryoku, dekin…danyu zankoku monogatari,†Nikkan Gendai (Apr. 17)
Direct Link:
http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2014/05/02/vd-sexual-discrimination-cause-japans-av-actors-to-unionize/
ARTICLE THREE
Promise of Hard Cash Pulls Part-Timers into Porn industry
The Chitachubu Area Fire Department announced last week that a firefighter from the region will be disciplined for appearing in adult video (AV) productions.
In March of 2012, the 25-year-old submitted an application to an AV firm after seeing an advertisement in Nagoya. He then starred in two films shot in Osaka and Tokyo at a rate of 50,000 to 60,000 yen ($500-$600) for each production over the next two months.
The matter came to light on February 14, when an anonymous letter and DVD showing the fireman performing reached the Hirata City Fire Department.
According to Nikkan Gendai (Feb. 19), such a development is not unusual as the AV industry’s male performers are primarily part-timers.
The evening tabloid estimates that there are between 300 and 500 male porn stars in Japan, with maybe 30 who have reached elite status — meaning those who are able to demand between 30,000 and 50,000 ($300-$500) yen per shot. The remainder comprise the industry’s “soup†men, a category of secondary performers who are tasked with ejaculating on the face of the lead actress.
“You’ve got guys without a regular job, office workers and those who are self-employed,†a male actor tells the tabloid. “These guys are passionate fans of AV and long to shoot their wad on a naked actress.â€
Wages for soup men, who could be as young as 20 or well into their 50s, are comparatively low, ranging between 3,000 and 5,000 yen. ($30-$50) The key is anonymity.
“It is difficult for viewers of AV films to see the faces of the soup men,†says the actor, who adds that Nikkan Gendai’s readership would be astounded if it knew the number of government employees working in the trade.
Most soup men get started in their college days, with some veterans continuing in the trade for 20 years while working full-time as salarymen. It is also not unusual to find musicians in no-name rock bands taking a stab in the industry, so to speak.
Payment is via a rigid commission system: one shot for 1,000 yen (ten bucks) in hard cash.
“Staff members will have stacks of 1,000 yen notes wrapped in rubber bands ready on the set,†says AV writer Kazuo Kajiyama. “Payment is made afterward, right on the spot.â€
A firefighter, a university researcher, your local barman — who knows what they do in their free time, chuckles Nikkan Gendai. (K.N.)
Source: “Hongyo ha okatai shokugyo ga oi ‘AV danyu’ arubaito no jittai,†Nikkan Gendai (Feb. 19, page 5)
Direct Link:
http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2014/02/20/porn-stars-in-japan-primarily-part-timers/
This was a revealing article for several reasons. For one, I was reminded of an old question of mine in the thread, "JAV Questions... THREE!" ... when I had asked, why the annoying male facial fuzz-outs. Our über-knowledgeable fellow member Aquamarine straightened me out: the male actors need anonymity. Seemed ridiculous to me at the time, because these guys must have been getting paid, but if the "soup men" are paid next-to-nothing, now it makes sense.
Secondly, there was another article in this News forum that claimed there are only seventy male actors in the industry. That also sounded ridiculous, but this article reinforces our suspicion that the number referred only to the top-ranking elite. That number is calculated at thirty in the above article, adding 300-500 more... which seems far more reasonable.
In case you'd like to look more closely into these matters, the article from our News section that made the claim of only seventy male actors in JAV was "Japan's Male AV Actors: A Rare and Special Breed." A second article, also located here and backing up the claim, is "Troubled Lives of Japan's Male Porn Stars." You may also be interested in checking out this other post of mine, where different JAV stats (the number of JAVs produced annually, the worth of the industry, comparisons with U.S. porn) were examined.
ARTICLE FOUR
Firm Demand Makes Trade in Porn DVDs Lucrative in Japan
Earlier this month, Tokyo Metropolitan Police raided the office and factory of a mail order business in Shinjuku Ward that produced uncensored porn DVDs.
Hidefumi Takahashi
Officers took manager Hidefumi Takahashi, 60, and five other male and female suspects into custody for possessing obscene media with intent to sell.
The operation, which shipped DVDs nationwide, was housed inside three rooms in an office building. Officers also seized 110,000 DVDs from the premises. Takahashi began the business 18 years ago. Over that period, annual sales averaged 60 million yen. ($600,000)
Fuzoku writer Taizo Ebina is not surprised. The sex trade specialist tells Nikkan Gendai (Feb. 7) that demand is such that a little money can be made on the side by just about anyone.
With the discs selling for between 270 and 400 yen each ($2.70-$4.00), Nikkan Gendai says the profit margin in the trade is very attractive. Ebina explains how it works.
“The standard business model is for traders to pick up their content on file-sharing sites like Winny,†says the writer. “They will also download files from adult sites.â€
Up to this point, a trader’s outlay is zero, at least if one’s time is excluded.
“A blank DVD goes for 50 yen (50 cents),†he continues. “So, if that disc (with content) can then be sold for, say, 300 yen (three bucks), that represents a profit of 250 yen.†Ebina adds that nowadays the sending of SD cards through the postal mail is on the rise.
As to just who is partaking in the trade, that could be anyone, says Ebina: from bachelors to office workers at major and small companies. Certainly, this is a side business, with most traders not making more than 100,000 yen per month.
“Lolicon features sell well as that genre is strictly regulated (by law enforcement),†says Ebina, referring to films featuring older men and very young girls. “Older films with middle- and high-school girls are the most popular.â€
Another approach is to hire an amateur for an illicit photo session. Even though a two-hour rental will require upwards of 15,000 yen ($150), footage of the action could be sold for 1,000 yen per disc.
As to Takahashi, he was a big fish in the minds of the cops. For the others, law enforcement is not a concern. “The small-time traders are not on the radar,†says Ebina. (A.T.)
Source: “500manen arakasegi ‘waisetsu DVD’ hanbai no poroi shobai,†Nikkan Gendai (Feb. 7)
Direct Link:
http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2014/02/22/firm-demand-makes-trade-in-porn-dvds-lucrative-in-japan/
ARTICLE FIVE
AV Actresses Nanako Mori and Rika Matsuda Crowned Champions at ‘Mature Queen Contest’
TOKYO (TR) – The top prizes in the “Mature Queen Contest†were given to AV actresses Rika Matsuda and Nanako Mori on Thursday evening at the jam-packed Loft Plus One club in Tokyo’s Kabukicho entertainment district.
The pair was chosen from a field of nine adult video actresses, who routinely perform roles that require motherly or middle-aged portrayals.
Mori, 25, who specializes in adultery pics, said that she was delighted to meet her fans. “I will continue to appear in films that feature married women,†said the 25-year-old at the conclusion of the event, which is in its tenth incarnation. “In fact, I make my living by being a wife.â€
Nanako Mori; is she really only 25-years-old? (And since when would 25 be designated as "mature"?) Maybe this article is from a few years back. Her usual birthdate is reported as 08/01/85, making her 29... not that this birthdate would be reliable, either. (Nor, necessarily, "mature.")
The winners were chosen through ballots cast by the assembled, mostly male, audience members. To assist in the selection process, each contestant performed a short strip show and read erotic lines while being massaged through her underwear with a vibrator.
Mori added that co-champion Matsuda has been a role model for her career. “It is nice to be able to share this stage with her,†Mori said.
Matsuda indicated that the pleasure was all hers, adding that she will not be taking the accolade lightly. “I will continue to do my best,†ensured the 40-year-old.
Special guest commentators included the manager of the legendary Rokku-za strip theater in Asakusa, Chieko Saito, pro wrestler The Great Sasuke, and past champions, AV actresses Maria Yumeno and Sayuri Honjo, who boldly jumped on stage during the festivities and bared her 85-centimeter chest.
Sponsored honorable-mention awards were presented as follows: Yukino Shirakawa (publisher Bunkasha); Megumi Tsukishima (Sankei Sports); Mio Fujisawa (Shukan Asahi Geino and publisher Futaba); Saeko Shiraishi (Shukan Jitsuwa and singer Ujigami Ichiban).
Before the proceedings began, promoter Motoji “Mot’s†Takasu was on hand to distribute a number of commendations, including an achievement award — for ensuring that “eroticism trumps terrorism†— to AV actress Yukari Nakai. It was later revealed that a SM bar that utilizes his services (Roppongi Jail) was busted by law enforcement for indecent exposure that morning.
Direct Link:
http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2011/0...da-crowned-champions-at-mature-queen-contest/
You may want to visit the direct link, as there are pictures and references to other actresses; I don't know who "Rika Matsuda" is. A general search led only to the above article, so I would imagine the common English translation for her moniker is spelled differently.
.
I don't know what the reputation of The Tokyo Reporter is (you may notice their claim of being in operation since 2008), but if it can pass off as a respectable news source for the Japanese (since the language is English, the rag is probably geared toward foreigners interested in Japan, rather than the natives), how interesting that so many of their stories center on pornography.
In the USA, no mainstream news operation would normally cover porn as a topic, unless the porn-insider committed a crime. Could this be reflective of more liberal attitudes of the Japanese toward adult fare? (Or at least honest attitudes, in the knowledge that many readers would be interested in the topic, and thus, why not cater to them?)
(Given the disclaimers at the bottom of their articles, I am getting the idea all The Tokyo Reporter does is collect articles from around the Japanese sphere, then put up the translated versions. Yet even if The Tokyo Reporter does not serve as the original source, it's still interesting that a wide spectrum of the Japanese media does not shy away from the porno topic.)
What follows are more articles on Japanese porn that some of you may be interested in.
Direct links to the articles are provided. You may want to access them for additional links, and for a few pictures.
--------------------------------------------------
ARTICLE ONE
Porn Actresses Pen Salacious Memoirs in Chasing Legacy of Ai Iijima
Realizing that playing with pens might be more beneficial than swords, former and current AV (adult video) actresses have released titillating tell-all memoirs over the past year as they pursue the fame of former starlet Ai Iijima, the author of the million-selling book “Platonic Sex†who died in late 2008, reports Shukan Shincho (Mar. 25).
Honoka resigned from the AV business a year ago, after starring in 50 films over a career that spanned five years. Her biography “The Basket†was released on January 18. The weekly provides one excerpt.
“He said, ‘Lick it.’ But I didn’t know what that meant, so I just followed his lead. ‘We’ll finish inside your mouth, and you’ll swallow it.’ I tried to imagine something drinkable but I didn’t know what kind of liquid would could be. I still wasn’t sure what was gonna happen. When he finished he smiled. ‘Let’s do it again sometime.’ Then the next thing I knew he was out the door. I was less than 10 years old at the time.â€
A representative of publishing company Shufunotomo says that “The Basket†is really popular with girls. “The level of ‘Platonic Sex’ is our target,†the exec explains, referring to Iijima’s 2001 semi-autobiographical novel about the life of a runway who eventually winds up in adult video.
This is the 26-year-old’s second venture as a writer. Her first, “Koakuma Sex,†went on sale through publisher Best Shinsho in January of last year.
Saori Hara, 22, initially wanted to be an idol but wound up in porn, yet unlike Honoka she is still at it. Shueisha released her confessional “My Real Name is Mai Kato: Why I became an AV Girl†last December.
Saori Hara, STAR 267; for more on the lady, visit her thread on Akiba-Online
“The actor opened his hand in front of me,†she writes. “It seemed really wet, filled with sweat…This part of the shooting was only supposed to take a few seconds. But then I realized that the wetness was from me, from down there. At that moment, it was spurting out of me. I felt messy, ashamed and sad. A lot of feelings were in my heart and mind, combating one another, and just like that it was over.â€
Shukan Shincho reports that she has become Japan’s number one AV girl and the second printing of “My Real Name is Mai Kato†has sold 10,000 copies, largely the result of a boost in popularity following being served papers with renowned photographer Kishin Shinoyama in January. The pair were cited for violations of public decency laws after shooting explicit photographs in the Tokyo area for inclusion in Shinoyama’s book “No Nude by Kishin 1 20XX Tokyo.â€
Having better luck making it in the conventional entertainment industry is Mihiro, 27, who appears on television variety programs and in theatrical productions. Not surprisingly — given the direction of the article — she also performs naked in front of the camera, which is the subject of her memoir, appropriately titled “Nude,†released by Kodansha last May.
“The shoot had already started,†she conveys, recalling her first experience acting in a threesome. “The director barked, ‘Start!’ and things got going quickly. ‘Can I insert it, Mihiro-chan?’ I closed my eyes, waiting for him. But the other guy asked me to touch him. ‘Suck me,’ he commanded, and then his hardened thing was pushed into my mouth. ‘Ah,’ he moaned…at the same time, I felt something warm and hard entering me down below.â€
As with Iijima, Mihoro admits that her narrative is not a completely factual account. “I cannot write all fiction,†she says. “So I wrote half real stories mixed with half fantasy.â€
Adult media writer Rio Yasuda says that the AV business is assimilating itself with popular culture much more than ever before,†the writer explains “These girls used to live in another world, but now that is not the case. The stigma has faded.â€
Shukan Shincho is hesitant to anoint any of these ladies as the second coming of Iijima, but it salivates at the prospect of perusing future entries. (A.T.)
Source: “Mezasu ha ‘daini no Iijima Ai’ toiu AVjo tachino ‘kokuhakuhon,’†Shukan Shincho (Mar. 25, pages 47-48)
Direct Link:
http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2010/0...cious-memoirs-in-chasing-legacy-of-ai-iijima/
ARTICLE TWO
VD fears, Sexual Discrimination Cause Japan’s AV Actors to Unionize
On April 1, veteran actors from within the adult video (AV) industry established the Japan Porn Actors Association (JPAA) in an effort to improve working conditions.
The JPAA logo... Why partly in English? By the way, if you click on the above link for their site, and can withstand the slowly-scrolling faces, you may recognize some familiar ones among them - including, the Creep, the Un-Juvenile Delinquent, and Mr. Dignified. See link for "Tubby," below.
Appearing on the group’s board of directors is actor Taku Yoshimura, who tells Nikkan Gendai (Apr. 17) that one concern is the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
Taku Yoshimura? Why, that would be the lovable Tubby! Here he is, with Tsubomi, in CWM 093.
“The first step is to to ensure that actors receive a test for STDs once every four weeks,†says Yoshimura.
Discounts for testing will be available. Members going to a clinic in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward will be eligible to receive an examination for 8,500 yen, as opposed to the standard 10,000-yen fee.
“In May, we are inviting a specialist to host a workshop on the prevention of STDs,†says Yoshimura.
The site has approximately 50 actors currently enrolled. A membership fee of 20,000 yen (200 dollars) is required. A profile for each actor lists a number of characteristics, including height, weight, penis length, the probability of achieving a full erection and hobbies.
AV writer Kazuo Kajiyama says that another challenge faced by the industry’s stick men is sexual discrimination.
“If an actor passes VD onto an actress through a kiss or vaginal ejaculation it is not rare for him to be banned by a manufacturer,†says Kajiyama. “The talent agency of the actress will then apply a ‘sick actor’ label upon him.â€
The writer says that this kind of condemnation occurs without proof that he (and not her) was the source of the problem. “Sexual discrimination is persistent,†he says.
Salaries for actors are low. Notables can fetch fees of 18,000 yen per film ($180) while “soup†men, a category of secondary performers who are tasked with ejaculating on the face of the lead actress, make less than half of that figure.
Adding insult to injurious wages is the general abuse actors receive. Talent agencies for actresses hire thugs to intimidate and rough up actors to prevent any amorous activities from taking place off the set.
“Another aim of the association is to prevent such violence,†says an AV director.
A seemingly dream job can in fact be quite hard, clucks Nikkan Gendai. (A.T.)
Source: “‘AV Danyu Kyokai’ setsuritsu no ura ni seibyo, boryoku, dekin…danyu zankoku monogatari,†Nikkan Gendai (Apr. 17)
Direct Link:
http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2014/05/02/vd-sexual-discrimination-cause-japans-av-actors-to-unionize/
ARTICLE THREE
Promise of Hard Cash Pulls Part-Timers into Porn industry
The Chitachubu Area Fire Department announced last week that a firefighter from the region will be disciplined for appearing in adult video (AV) productions.
In March of 2012, the 25-year-old submitted an application to an AV firm after seeing an advertisement in Nagoya. He then starred in two films shot in Osaka and Tokyo at a rate of 50,000 to 60,000 yen ($500-$600) for each production over the next two months.
The matter came to light on February 14, when an anonymous letter and DVD showing the fireman performing reached the Hirata City Fire Department.
According to Nikkan Gendai (Feb. 19), such a development is not unusual as the AV industry’s male performers are primarily part-timers.
The evening tabloid estimates that there are between 300 and 500 male porn stars in Japan, with maybe 30 who have reached elite status — meaning those who are able to demand between 30,000 and 50,000 ($300-$500) yen per shot. The remainder comprise the industry’s “soup†men, a category of secondary performers who are tasked with ejaculating on the face of the lead actress.
“You’ve got guys without a regular job, office workers and those who are self-employed,†a male actor tells the tabloid. “These guys are passionate fans of AV and long to shoot their wad on a naked actress.â€
Wages for soup men, who could be as young as 20 or well into their 50s, are comparatively low, ranging between 3,000 and 5,000 yen. ($30-$50) The key is anonymity.
“It is difficult for viewers of AV films to see the faces of the soup men,†says the actor, who adds that Nikkan Gendai’s readership would be astounded if it knew the number of government employees working in the trade.
Most soup men get started in their college days, with some veterans continuing in the trade for 20 years while working full-time as salarymen. It is also not unusual to find musicians in no-name rock bands taking a stab in the industry, so to speak.
Payment is via a rigid commission system: one shot for 1,000 yen (ten bucks) in hard cash.
“Staff members will have stacks of 1,000 yen notes wrapped in rubber bands ready on the set,†says AV writer Kazuo Kajiyama. “Payment is made afterward, right on the spot.â€
A firefighter, a university researcher, your local barman — who knows what they do in their free time, chuckles Nikkan Gendai. (K.N.)
Source: “Hongyo ha okatai shokugyo ga oi ‘AV danyu’ arubaito no jittai,†Nikkan Gendai (Feb. 19, page 5)
Direct Link:
http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2014/02/20/porn-stars-in-japan-primarily-part-timers/
This was a revealing article for several reasons. For one, I was reminded of an old question of mine in the thread, "JAV Questions... THREE!" ... when I had asked, why the annoying male facial fuzz-outs. Our über-knowledgeable fellow member Aquamarine straightened me out: the male actors need anonymity. Seemed ridiculous to me at the time, because these guys must have been getting paid, but if the "soup men" are paid next-to-nothing, now it makes sense.
Secondly, there was another article in this News forum that claimed there are only seventy male actors in the industry. That also sounded ridiculous, but this article reinforces our suspicion that the number referred only to the top-ranking elite. That number is calculated at thirty in the above article, adding 300-500 more... which seems far more reasonable.
In case you'd like to look more closely into these matters, the article from our News section that made the claim of only seventy male actors in JAV was "Japan's Male AV Actors: A Rare and Special Breed." A second article, also located here and backing up the claim, is "Troubled Lives of Japan's Male Porn Stars." You may also be interested in checking out this other post of mine, where different JAV stats (the number of JAVs produced annually, the worth of the industry, comparisons with U.S. porn) were examined.
ARTICLE FOUR
Firm Demand Makes Trade in Porn DVDs Lucrative in Japan
Earlier this month, Tokyo Metropolitan Police raided the office and factory of a mail order business in Shinjuku Ward that produced uncensored porn DVDs.
Hidefumi Takahashi
Officers took manager Hidefumi Takahashi, 60, and five other male and female suspects into custody for possessing obscene media with intent to sell.
The operation, which shipped DVDs nationwide, was housed inside three rooms in an office building. Officers also seized 110,000 DVDs from the premises. Takahashi began the business 18 years ago. Over that period, annual sales averaged 60 million yen. ($600,000)
Fuzoku writer Taizo Ebina is not surprised. The sex trade specialist tells Nikkan Gendai (Feb. 7) that demand is such that a little money can be made on the side by just about anyone.
With the discs selling for between 270 and 400 yen each ($2.70-$4.00), Nikkan Gendai says the profit margin in the trade is very attractive. Ebina explains how it works.
“The standard business model is for traders to pick up their content on file-sharing sites like Winny,†says the writer. “They will also download files from adult sites.â€
Up to this point, a trader’s outlay is zero, at least if one’s time is excluded.
“A blank DVD goes for 50 yen (50 cents),†he continues. “So, if that disc (with content) can then be sold for, say, 300 yen (three bucks), that represents a profit of 250 yen.†Ebina adds that nowadays the sending of SD cards through the postal mail is on the rise.
As to just who is partaking in the trade, that could be anyone, says Ebina: from bachelors to office workers at major and small companies. Certainly, this is a side business, with most traders not making more than 100,000 yen per month.
“Lolicon features sell well as that genre is strictly regulated (by law enforcement),†says Ebina, referring to films featuring older men and very young girls. “Older films with middle- and high-school girls are the most popular.â€
Another approach is to hire an amateur for an illicit photo session. Even though a two-hour rental will require upwards of 15,000 yen ($150), footage of the action could be sold for 1,000 yen per disc.
As to Takahashi, he was a big fish in the minds of the cops. For the others, law enforcement is not a concern. “The small-time traders are not on the radar,†says Ebina. (A.T.)
Source: “500manen arakasegi ‘waisetsu DVD’ hanbai no poroi shobai,†Nikkan Gendai (Feb. 7)
Direct Link:
http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2014/02/22/firm-demand-makes-trade-in-porn-dvds-lucrative-in-japan/
ARTICLE FIVE
AV Actresses Nanako Mori and Rika Matsuda Crowned Champions at ‘Mature Queen Contest’
TOKYO (TR) – The top prizes in the “Mature Queen Contest†were given to AV actresses Rika Matsuda and Nanako Mori on Thursday evening at the jam-packed Loft Plus One club in Tokyo’s Kabukicho entertainment district.
The pair was chosen from a field of nine adult video actresses, who routinely perform roles that require motherly or middle-aged portrayals.
Mori, 25, who specializes in adultery pics, said that she was delighted to meet her fans. “I will continue to appear in films that feature married women,†said the 25-year-old at the conclusion of the event, which is in its tenth incarnation. “In fact, I make my living by being a wife.â€
Nanako Mori; is she really only 25-years-old? (And since when would 25 be designated as "mature"?) Maybe this article is from a few years back. Her usual birthdate is reported as 08/01/85, making her 29... not that this birthdate would be reliable, either. (Nor, necessarily, "mature.")
The winners were chosen through ballots cast by the assembled, mostly male, audience members. To assist in the selection process, each contestant performed a short strip show and read erotic lines while being massaged through her underwear with a vibrator.
Mori added that co-champion Matsuda has been a role model for her career. “It is nice to be able to share this stage with her,†Mori said.
Matsuda indicated that the pleasure was all hers, adding that she will not be taking the accolade lightly. “I will continue to do my best,†ensured the 40-year-old.
Special guest commentators included the manager of the legendary Rokku-za strip theater in Asakusa, Chieko Saito, pro wrestler The Great Sasuke, and past champions, AV actresses Maria Yumeno and Sayuri Honjo, who boldly jumped on stage during the festivities and bared her 85-centimeter chest.
Sponsored honorable-mention awards were presented as follows: Yukino Shirakawa (publisher Bunkasha); Megumi Tsukishima (Sankei Sports); Mio Fujisawa (Shukan Asahi Geino and publisher Futaba); Saeko Shiraishi (Shukan Jitsuwa and singer Ujigami Ichiban).
Before the proceedings began, promoter Motoji “Mot’s†Takasu was on hand to distribute a number of commendations, including an achievement award — for ensuring that “eroticism trumps terrorism†— to AV actress Yukari Nakai. It was later revealed that a SM bar that utilizes his services (Roppongi Jail) was busted by law enforcement for indecent exposure that morning.
Direct Link:
http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2011/0...da-crowned-champions-at-mature-queen-contest/
You may want to visit the direct link, as there are pictures and references to other actresses; I don't know who "Rika Matsuda" is. A general search led only to the above article, so I would imagine the common English translation for her moniker is spelled differently.
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