While the Anti-Prostitution Law of 1956 states that "No person may either do prostitution or become the customer of it," loopholes, liberal interpretations and loose enforcement of the law have allowed the sex industry to prosper and earn an estimated 2.3 trillion yen ($24 billion) a year.
Although the Anti-Prostitution Law of 1956 prohibits both prostitution and its customers, loopholes in the law, combined with lenient application, have allowed the sex industry to thrive and earn an estimated $24 billion per year.