Japan Tourists Accused of Three-Day China Orgy

[cluck]

We'll be doing this in Iraq someday


Japan Tourists Accused of Three-Day China Orgy
Sun September 28, 2003 01:30 AM ET
By Juliana Liu

BEIJING (Reuters) - Hundreds of Japanese tourists and local prostitutes held a three-day orgy at a luxury hotel in southern China, newspapers said, sparking outrage and prompting police to launch an investigation.

The five-star hotel where the orgy was reported to have been held earlier this month has been closed pending investigations, a spokeswoman for the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Bureau told Reuters.

"We are conducting an investigation into the case to find out whether media reports tally with reality," she said. "We have suspended the business of Zhuhai International Convention Center Hotel."

The official People's Daily newspaper said more than 400 Japanese tourists were serviced by some 500 prostitutes from the coastal cities of Zhuhai and Shenzhen during their stay from September 16 to 18.

Media reports of the orgy have provoked outrage -- particularly on the Internet, where Chinese Web surfers accused the tourists of choosing the date for their high jinks to humiliate China and celebrate Japan's wartime behavior.

September 18 marks the anniversary of Japan's occupation of northeastern China of 1931 -- an event remembered by many Chinese who still harbor deep resentment of Tokyo's military past.

"It's a trivial matter for Chinese prostitutes to sell sex, but the key is to look at the intentions of the Japanese devils," said a message on the www.sina.com.cn web site. "They came on purpose for September 18."

Other messages described the orgy as a national shame.

The People's Daily said the tourists paid the prostitutes between 1,200 to 1,800 yuan a night ($145 -- $215).

Although technically illegal, prostitution has become common in China since the country's economic reforms began more than 20 years ago.

Expensive hotels catering to foreigners are notorious gathering spots for sex workers. ($1=8.277 Yuan)