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An Edo-Period Crime That Still Exists Today

 

Japan has an old name for a crime that still happens today: tsutsumotase (美人局).

 

Tsutsumotase is a form of extortion involving romantic or sexual entrapment. Traditionally, a woman approaches a man and encourages him to enter a private room or intimate situation. Then, her husband, boyfriend, or accomplice suddenly appears and accuses the man of having an affair. The victim is threatened, embarrassed, and pressured into paying money.

 

This crime was already known during the Edo period. Travelers, merchants, and men visiting entertainment districts were common targets. The criminals depended on fear and shame. Many victims paid rather than report the incident because they did not want their families, employers, or communities to learn what had happened.

 

The unusual kanji 美人局 literally appears to mean “beautiful person/woman bureau,” but it is an old phonetic expression and does not clearly explain the crime. The term tsutsumotase is believed to have originated from older gambling or criminal slang, although its exact origin remains uncertain.

 

Today, the location has changed, but the method remains almost the same. Modern tsutsumotase may begin through dating apps, social media, bars, or online messages. In some cases, victims are secretly photographed or recorded and then threatened with public exposure.

 

The technology is new, but the psychology is ancient: temptation, fear, embarrassment, and money.

 

Be careful when a stranger becomes unusually friendly or quickly invites you into a private situation. A crime that had a name in the Edo period has not disappeared. It has simply moved online.