In Japan, human trafficking, especially sexual exploitation, continues to be an issue. Japan has implemented some of the policies required by UNTIP, but that Japanese officials lack the will to carry out these policy initiatives to combat human trafficking. This lack of will by government officials appears to be related to three key factors: 1)The demand for sex by Japanese citizens, 2) The prevalence of sex within the Japanese culture, and 3) The level to which the yakuza, gate-keepers to the commercial sex industry, are engrained in Japanese society.

The yakuza worked with the Japanese government during World War II to provide Imperial soldiers with “comfort women.” From there, the yakuza expanded into an organized crime group involved in sex tourism, human trafficking of women to Japan, pornographic enterprises, gambling businesses, and drug trafficking. The influence of the yakuza is heavy in Japan and is relatively accepted. Hence, to decrease human trafficking in Japan, the government should implement policies to decrease the demand for commercial sex and dismantle the yakuza.