Sex doll purchase for indigo dyeing event in west Japan hit by prefectural audit

TOKUSHIMA -- The Tokushima Prefectural Government spent over 400,000 yen (some $2,700) in public funds on a sex doll as part of a project to promote indigo dyeing, a specialty of the prefecture -- more than 30 times the cost of renting a mannequin, it has emerged.

The discovery sparked a recommendation from prefectural auditors that the prefecture consider seeking compensation from officials including a former male employee from the prefecture's tourism policy division in charge of the promotion, on the grounds that the purchase was illegal. So why was a sex doll introduced in the first place?

Doll bought for more than 400,000 yen at public expense

According to the tourism policy division, the "love doll" was used as part of the "Awa indigo charm promotion project at Tokushima Awaodori Airport," which was commissioned to the private sector in fiscal 2017 with a budget of some 2.8 million yen (about $18,900). The promotion area was set up in a corner of the lobby of the airport, which welcomes many visitors from outside the prefecture, to display clothing and lanterns dyed with indigo to advertise the prefecture's "aizome," or traditional indigo dyeing art.

The promotion started on April 1 that year, and from June, two mannequins wearing skirts and other items were displayed. The contractor prepared the mannequins for a rental fee of 13,500 yen (about $91) apiece. However, in July, the mannequins disappeared and a sex doll surfaced in their place, dressed in an indigo-dyed summer kimono. A male official in his 40s in charge of the project had instructed the contractor to purchase the sex doll for a total of 424,440 yen (about $2,870) and replaced the mannequins.

Going for a real look

Results of an audit show that the decision to use a sex doll in the project was made when the staffer in charge was considering effective ways to promote Awa indigo products to men, and found an article online indicating that apparel displays using realistic dolls had become mainstream.

According to the audit report, in late June, the male official is said to have visited a sex doll manufacturing and sales company in Osaka with those involved in the project, including the contractor, to pick out the doll. During questioning by auditors, the official's supervisor at the time was quoted as saying, "I had heard that mannequins would be displayed wearing indigo dyed clothing, but I never received any explanation about a display with a realistic doll." This suggests that the decision to use a sex doll was apparently made independently by the male official.

Cost over 30 times higher

The existence of the doll came to light in September 2023, in a local magazine report. In response, prefectural assembly member Atsushi Fukawa requested a citizen's audit in late November.

The tourism policy division argued that the use of a highly realistic doll enhanced the effectiveness of the project, but the auditor dismissed this claim and flatly rejected any need to exhibit a sex doll. Auditors also criticized it as "extremely expensive" and further pointed out a lack of consideration in displaying the doll at an airport also used by many women and children, citing "a lack of ethics for a public works project." They said the move "would never gain citizens' understanding."

The auditors concluded that the use of the doll was "grossly inappropriate in terms of social norms" and "violated the local finance law," and urged the prefecture to consider seeking compensation from the officials involved by June 19. Gov. Masazumi Gotoda released a comment stating, "While this is a case from before my tenure as governor, as the figure in charge of appointments, I will take the audit results seriously and handle them in a strict manner."

Under prefectural regulations, items costing 100,000 yen or more to obtain are treated as "fixtures" rather than consumable items. As a "prefectural fixture," the sex doll was also utilized in two other projects that the male employee oversaw in fiscal 2017, and in July 2019, it was used in an event held by a private organization to celebrate "Tokushima Indigo Day."

The prefectural government says there are no further plans to use the doll in any more events, but it will be stored in the prefectural warehouse for the time being amid the controversy following the audit request.

(Japanese original by Koichi Uematsu, Tokushima Bureau)