Osaka: Street Painted Yellow to Curb Prostitution; Locals and Police Expect Effects of Psychological Tactics

The Yomiuri Shimbun

10:33 JST, January 4, 2025

OSAKA — A street in Kita Ward, Osaka, notorious for prostitution has been painted yellow as part of an effort to discourage prostitutes from standing there and waiting for customers.

The yellow paint was applied to the street in December. The intention is to trigger a psychological effect, as people do not like to be in a conspicuous location. If the move is effective, it may be implemented in other areas where street prostitution is rampant.

In the past year, the Osaka prefectural police have arrested 30 prostitutes on suspicion of violating the Antiprostitution Law. The arrests were made while the prostitutes were soliciting customers in the area, which is lined with hotels and restaurants.

However, street prostitution has not disappeared from the area, with about 10 prostitutes seen there every evening. Some residents have moved, fed up with the negative impact on the area’s image.

As police patrols and crackdowns have had no effect on decreasing the number of prostitutes in the area, the local government came up with the idea of painting the street to deter the women from waiting there for customers ahead of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo.

According to “nudge theory,” a concept in behavioral economics, the use of eye-catching “warning colors” on the road has a psychological effect, making it harder for people to stay on the road, an expert said.

The road, which is about 100 meters long, is also decorated with eye-catching artwork featuring colorful fish. Locals hope the strategy will be effective.