Massage Parlor's Japanese Slang Becomes Evidence, Owner Jailed

A massage parlor owner in Tainan, Taiwan, has been sentenced to six months in prison for operating a prostitution ring, with the business's own signage inadvertently providing crucial evidence. The owner, identified only as Lai, was found to have run the establishment in 2024.

During a police raid in October, officers discovered a female employee, Ye, engaging in sexual acts with a customer. The establishment charged NT$1,800 for a two-hour session, with both Lai and Ye receiving NT$900 each. While the defense argued that the transactions were private between employees and clients, the counter signs, written in Japanese, explicitly advertised "special massage," "oral sex (フェラ)," "touching allowed (女の子にタッチあり)," and "no intercourse (本番無し)." These terms, often referred to as "old driver" slang among enthusiasts, became the smoking gun for prosecutors.

This is not the first offense for Lai, who had only completed his previous sentence in August of the same year, demonstrating a weak response to punishment. The court considered this a repeat offense within five years, constituting a habitual crime. Although Lai confessed to the charges, the court noted that his role in facilitating the acts was absorbed by the employees' actions. He was sentenced to six months, with the illegal profits and seized evidence ordered to be confiscated.

The Japanese terms themselves have interesting origins. "Ferra" is a shortened form of "feratio," derived from the Latin verb "fellare," meaning to suck. "Honban," commonly known from the entertainment industry to denote a formal performance after rehearsals, is used in the adult industry to distinguish actual sexual intercourse from foreplay.