The dark side of Japanese nightlife, Taiwan’s forgotten disco era, beach clubs in Bali: 6 weekend reads you may have missed

From the Japanese vice clubs tricking women into sex work to why 2024 could be Southeast Asia’s year for tourism, here are stories you may have missed over the weekend

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Published: 12:00pm, 11 Mar 2024

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1. Inside the Tokyo vice clubs tricking women into sex work: a victim’s story

Yu, not her real name, is a Japanese woman who previously visited a Kabukicho host club in Tokyo regularly, became heavily indebted and was forced to do sex work to repay her debts. Photo: Julian Ryall

2. Will stronger Manila-Canberra ties lead to Western support in South China Sea?

Chinese coastguard vessels fire water cannons towards a Philippine resupply vessel on March 5 in the South China Sea. Photo: Reuters

3. ‘Definitely stronger’: why 2024 could be Southeast Asia’s year for tourism

Chinese tourists pose for a group photo at a museum in Samut Prakan, Thailand, on March 1. Photo: Xinhua

4. How Asian women are challenging bias to carve out entrepreneurial success

Women across Asia are challenging bias to carve out entrepreneurial success. Photo: Shutterstock

5. Taiwan’s forgotten disco era and how it changed the course of Mandopop

A disco single by Frankie Kao. As Taiwan’s younger generation dust off disco records from the 1970s and 80s, scholars are looking into how the island came to embrace the Western music genre at a time when even dancing in public was illegal. Photo: CYP

6. Beach clubs in Bali: from ‘a little slice of heaven’ to big business

In 2000, Ku De Ta (pictured) in Bali set off a trend of the Indonesian island hosting beach clubs. It is not, however, the only place in Southeast Asia with a thriving beach club scene. Photo: Facebook/Ku De Ta

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