A Japanese businessman has been acquitted of raping and killing British bar hostess Lucie Blackman in 2000. But he was convicted of killing an Australian hostess, Carita Ridgway. Carita and Lucie were among thousands of foreign women who have been lured to work in one of Japan's hostess clubs.
A woman working as a hostess in a Japanese bar has to concentrate on just one task, keeping the customer happy. Happy customers stay longer. They drink more of the bars' expensive drinks. That means more commissions for the hostess and more profits for the bar. There are thousands of hostess bars in Tokyo. BBC
Joji Obara has been acquitted of charges connected to the death of Lucie Blackman, but sentenced to life imprisonment for a series of other charges. Key evidence was allegedly not presented during the trial which could have confirmed Obara's connection with Lucie's death. The judges in summing up stated that all condolence payments made to victim's families would not be considered in either verdict or sentence. More on the Lucie Blackman Trust website.
Also see:"The Tragic Tale of a Tokyo Hostess" on ABC and "The dark side of Tokyo's hostess bars" on BBC