The Second Tier: Japan's Stagnation in the Fight Against Sex Trafficking

Abstract

The practice of transnational human trafficking for any purpose, whether sex or labor, is at its heart a byproduct of the global market. With globalization came widespread corruption which, combined with capitalism, led to the growth of illicit markets.1 Thus, as globalization continues on its high-speed spread, human trafficking across borders is one of the fastest growing forms of transnational crime.2 It follows, then, that as international crime grows, international criminals gain more and more power. “The most striking impact of globalization is the transformation of the power structure among nation-states and non-state authorities—in other words, the decline of sovereign nation states” in favor of other parties such as transnational organized crime syndicates.3 There is also, by general extension of vast globalization, a wider global demand market that eager profiteers move to supply. In particular, the illicit market that treats women as goods. Organized criminal groups have participated in the trafficking business “because the capital needed to engage in this business is low, the chance of detection is limited, and one can conduct this business in most regions of the world with few obstacles.”4 It is particularly problematic that, due to low penalties and high monetary earnings, sex trafficking is, comparatively, a low-risk, high-profit business.5