ABSTRACT
Participatory action research (PAR) is recognised by sociologists, anthropologists, social workers and others as an innovative and authentic method of research into marginalised sections of society including the sex industry. This chapter introduces the legal and the ideological frameworks of sex work in Japan, and SWASH, the sex worker and supporter network, and examines their coping strategy under these circumstances. Using SWASH’s involvement in PAR with myself as a researcher as a case study, the chapter discusses the relationship between one member acting as a gatekeeper and the researcher, which led to the ‘failure’ of the project. Japan is one of the many countries that employ both criminalisation and regulation policies on sex work. Democratic participation is a hard-to-actualise key concept in PAR. Continuing to seek multiple methods as a group is another important dimension to strengthen the aim of fairer representation as well as to have more open relationships within the participants and towards relevant supporters outside.
