The Fate of Man, Who Became a Catch Sales

This is a story about my friend Tanabe's younger brother, Kazuya.

Kazuya is 26 years old and currently works as a host at a cabaret club. However, until a year ago, he was working as a catch sales in Kabukicho.

In simpler terms, he was a customer puller.

One day, Kazuya, who was participating in a drinking party, shared with us the struggles he faced during his time as a catch sales, and I would like to share that story here.

He Was Once Deep in Debt

Kazuya started working as a catch sales when he was 24 years old.

At that time, he was deep in debt, with collection calls coming in daily. Demand notices piled up in his mailbox, and debt collectors even showed up at his home.

Knock knock knock!

"I know you're in there! Come out!"

(There's no way I'm going out there to face these loan sharks!)

Kazuya quietly escaped through his home window with just his phone and wallet.

He took refuge in an internet café and started searching for job listings on a computer.

(I guess I really need to find a job soon...)

With no connections, money, or academic credentials, there were hardly any places willing to hire Kazuya.

However, one particular job listing caught his eye.

(No experience required, educational background doesn't matter, casual dress is acceptable, and there's a 50,000 JPY starting bonus!? This job listing looks promising!)

It was an ad for a catch sales at a sex establishment.

Kazuya immediately went for an interview.

"Can you communicate with people?"

"Huh?"

"So, are you good at communicating with people or not?"

"Yes, of course!"

"Hmm, whatever, you're hired!"

"Thank you very much!"

Kazuya Starts Working as a catch sales

And so, Kazuya made his debut as a catch sales. His pay was entirely commission-based, and the more customers he entertained, the more he earned.

From his very first day, he learned the ropes from his seniors. The first step was to simply go out and approach people.

"Umm... sir, over here?"

"Umm, sorry... would you like to come in and play?"

"Can I talk to you for a moment?"

In the vibrant nightlife district, people from all walks of life crossed paths.

"What's wrong, Kazuya? Looks like you're struggling."

"Sorry, senior... I'm just not doing very well..."

His senior was impressive. Within just ten minutes of starting work, he had already brought two customers into the club.

"What should I do...?"

"Hey, this isn't a tissue-passing job. Just calling out to people isn't enough. You need to imagine the customer's psychology and offer them what they desire at the right moment. Give it a try."

"Okay, I understand."

So, Kazuya started approaching customers while trying to imagine their psychology.

"You must be tired from work. Why don't you let a cute girl ease your fatigue at the end of the day?"

"Are you here as a tourist? Make some memories by enjoying the nightlife here."

"Are you a foreigner? Are you interested in beautiful Japanese women?"

"Good evening! Come in and get cozy with a cute girl to recharge for tomorrow."

Then, a middle-aged man stopped and listened to what Kazuya had to say.

"Really? You have cute girls? Maybe I'll give it a try..."

"Thank you very much! Please follow me!"

Thus, Kazuya finally succeeded in bringing his first customer into the club.

From then on, the number of customers he introduced gradually increased.

A Daily Income of 100,000 JPY!?

"You did well. Here, this is your cut for today."

"What? 100,000 JPY!? That's an incredible amount!"

"Yeah, you introduced five customers today, and the second one was quite generous..."

"Thank you very much!"

"Of course, I'll be taking a cut of that for the turf fee."

"Turf fee" refers to the money paid when doing business in a yakuza group's territory; it is also called "Otoshi." "Shoba" means "place" (basho) spelled backward.

Kazuya paid 20,000 JPY from his earnings.

(Even after that, I still have 80,000 JPY... this is amazing...)

Thus, Kazuya's glamorous debut as a catch sales marked the beginning of his lucrative earnings.

On good days, his monthly income even exceeded 1,000,000 JPY.

A Flashy Lifestyle

A year into his work as a catch sales, Kazuya's life became stable thanks to his high income. His debts gradually decreased, and he was able to move into a new apartment and even buy a luxury watch!

On his days off, he would splurge at cabarets and sex establishments.

One day, while living this lifestyle, he approached a group of three men who looked like salarymen...

"Hello there! Are you gentlemen looking for a place? I can recommend some excellent spots that fit your budget."

Arrested on the Spot!

"You there, you're under arrest!"

"What? Why? What did I do!?"

Unbelievably, they were undercover police officers!

"We're police officers!"

"Huh? Why? I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Yes, you did. You were pulling customers. This area is under strict enforcement for violating the Public Nuisance Prevention Ordinance."

"What? Violating the Public Nuisance Prevention Ordinance?"

"You're pulling customers, and you don't even know that?

"What!?"

Kazuya had no idea that catch sales were prohibited in this area.

"Soliciting customers in Tokyo violates the 'Public Nuisance Prevention Ordinance'!"

"Nuisance... I was just trying to introduce customers to the store!"

"That's exactly why it's prohibited. Simply inviting someone to a store can put pressure on them. Plus, you put your hand on my shoulder. Obstructing someone's path, following them, or urging them to enter a store is a punishable offense."

"An offense...?"

"In Tokyo, you can be fined up to 500,000 JPY, or be subject to detention or a fine."

"That's... unbelievable."

And so, Kazuya was taken away and thoroughly interrogated at the nearest police station. As a result, he ended up with a criminal record and had to pay a fine of 300,000 JPY.

This incident made Kazuya quit his job as a catch sales.

Conclusion

While the pay might have been good, there's a risk of getting arrested, so it's better to avoid jobs like being a catch sales.

Now, he seems to be working diligently at a cabaret club, so I'm sure he'll be fine. Apparently, he might even get promoted to manager soon, so I hope he succeeds.