| 1. | That information re suspicious characters must be given to the police. When visitors resemble the circulated descriptions of persons “wanted� by the police and advertised for with a picture. |
| 2. | Information must be given re persons who possess money or valuables manifestly unsuitable to their station in life, and re persons who are spending money recklessly. |
| 3. | Information must be given re persons possessed of swords, firearms, or other lethal weapons, and whose conduct is suspicious. |
| 4. | Information must be given about persons who remain in brothels for upwards of three days consecutively. |
| 5. | Information must be given when guests entrust or give to courtesans money or effects. (Issued December 1896). |
Police Department Instruction No. 43-a, addressed to all Police Stations having jurisdiction over brothel quarters. Contains seven articles re the position of the Department vis-à -vis the Kashi-zashiki, Hikite-jaya, and Sh�gi Guilds. (Issued December 1896).
There are also a great many detailed provisions intended to protect the women, among which may be mentioned one reading:—
“Should the keeper of a brothel endeavour to cause undue expenditure of money, or without valid reason try to interfere with the women desiring to reform, it is forbidden by law; and he can neither by law or under agreement, ill-treat the women cruelly or unfairly, therefore should anything like this occur, the women shall complain to the policeman on the beat or to the Police Station.�
The laws are fair to a certain extent if carried out in the spirit in which they have been framed, but it is needless to say that the inmates of the Japanese brothels are entirely subjected to the will of their keepers, and although as a rule the girls are not inhumanely treated, they are to all intents slaves, just as much as if they were chained to the galleys. It is not law, but custom which keeps them there, and there is many and many an innocent victim driven to these devilish institutions by customs which exalt profligate fathers and beastly brothers into authoritative beings for whom every sacrifice should be made—even that of chastity. To say a woman has sacrificed herself for the sake of her relations covers everything among the lower and more ignorant masses, and the only thing which would be effectual with these model fathers, mothers, and brothers, would be a thorough horse-whipping each and every time a case crops up; or better still, the cat-o’-nine-tails laid on by an expert until they howl for mercy. The efforts of the Japanese Government to abolish the evil of this servitude have been vigorous, but custom—that law of fools—has been too powerful, and the regulations are infringed indirectly in many ways, chiefly however owing to the frantic opposition to reform raised by those numerous parasitic hangers-on who attach themselves to the prostitute quarters, and, while leading a lazy and mischievous life, manage to suck sustenance from the earnings of defenceless women. The position of the Government is clearly demonstrated by the text of the laws and notifications, but no Government can eradicate an evil if not backed up by the people, and at present the number of persons who have intelligently considered the question is very small indeed.
The Penal Code, promulgated July 1880, Art. 425, provides three to ten days’ imprisonment, or a fine of 1 yen to 1 yen 95 sen, as a punishment for secret prostitution, or lending premises to persons for the purpose of assisting such secret prostitution.
To enable the reader to judge of the severity of the treatment which the Government in olden times meted out by way of punishment, annexed is a proclamation made by Ōoka Echizen-no-Kami, the famous Governor of T�ky�, dated Ky�h�, 7th year, 8th month, 16th day. (26th Sept., 1722).
“Whereas secret prostitution has been prohibited in the Wards of this City, and whereas it appears that the practice has been carried on in an audacious manner, it is hereby ordered that henceforth secret prostitutes shall be treated as follows:—
“1st.—The person harbouring secret prostitutes will be ordered to yield up to the Government his ground lot, furniture, house, and godown, and the woman offending shall herself have her furniture seized, and for the space of 100 days shall be manacled with irons, and committed into the custody of the responsible parties in her Ward, an officer being detailed off to visit the house every other day to inspect the seal on her manacles.