Danica Davidson
January 27, 2021 
Two Japanese politicians are in trouble for visiting hostess bars last week. Host and hostess bars in Japan are entertainment venues where attractive hosts offer drinks, company, and conversations to clients. There’s really no equivalent to it in America, and the ever-popular Ouran High School Host Club has helped make the situation known to people overseas.
But the issue wasn’t the hostess bars, per se. It was that the politicians got caught breaking COVID state of emergency rules, because they’re not supposed to be out and about for inessential things like that, particularly at night. (Right now restaurants are supposed to be shuttered by 8 P.M. each night.)
One of the politicians even went to a hostess bar twice. The lapse in protocol caused Prime Minister Suga to issue this apology on behalf of elected officials Jun Matsumoto and Kiyohiko Toyama: “As we have asked the people to refrain from going out, I am extremely sorry.”
Source: The Mainichi
____
Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, and its sequel, Manga Art for Intermediates, with professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
