Transvestite Gay Murder Case - Shadow of Kabukicho in 1998

Transvestite Gay Murder Case - Shadow of Kabukicho in 1998

The "transvestite gay murder" at a Kabukicho hotel in February 1998 was a symbol of the social tension and cultural diversity Shinjuku faced at the time. The victim was a third class marine officer of the Maritime Self-Defense Force. He met a transvestite gay man who stood on the street as a "tachimbo" (a prostitute who takes customers), and after going into a hotel, they had an argument. The Self-Defense Force officer lost his composure due to drunkenness and ran away from the hotel to seek help, but was stabbed by the person who chased him and lost his life [7†source].

Behind this incident lies the "sexual crucible" of Kabukicho at the end of the 1990s. At that time, Shinjuku was in a period of economic stagnation following the bursting of the bubble economy, and the influx of migrants and foreigners from the countryside increased, leading to a multinationalization and the accumulation of a miscellaneous sexual culture. Transsexual shows and gay bars were attracting attention as tourism resources, but at the same time, prejudice was still strong in society, and cross-dressing and the presence of sexual minorities were easily subject to consumption and discrimination as something "otherworldly".

The late 1990s were also the eve of the "Operation Cleanup of Shinjuku Kabukicho," a campaign to clean up Shinjuku's Kabukicho district, which was seen as a serious threat to public order and safety. The complicated intertwining of underworld forces, illegal aliens, and the expansion of the sex industry made it difficult for the police to keep up with the crackdown. Trouble occurred frequently, especially when alcohol and prostitution were combined, and clashes between drunken customers and stand-up men often ended in horrific consequences.

This incident was a tragedy created by "alcohol," "sex," and "the hustle and bustle of the city," and was caused by the combination of drunken carelessness and the prejudice-filled atmosphere of the times. The year 1998 was still too early for Japanese society to talk about "diversity," but rather "heterogeneity" was becoming visible through the incident. It was a time when "heterogeneity" became visible through incidents.