Hard Study at the Starbucks in Kyoto

A busy workload keeps me from going into depth on this matter, but it may become something that should be addressed in the small claims court here.

I've called the Tokyo HQ of Starbucks several times to inform them of activity of people who appeared to be connected to the local "mizushobai" business (such as Hostess bars and other shops bordering on prostitution).

Particularly the Starbucks at Sanjo-Ohashi, which is very near a large area that has a lot of Hostess bars and the like, and is a mere couple of kilometers from the headquaters of a large crime syndicate based in Kyoto.

These signs list hours when they don't want you to read or use our computer for long periods of time. But basically, recently they have been asking people to close their books and computers that have just sat down with their drinks.

The dark sign is from the Starbucks at Sanjo-Ohashi, and the light sign from the Starbucks at Sanjo-Karasuma.

While it is understandable that with a lot of foot traffic during the day and a good view overlooking the river, the business would certainly benefit from being able to accommodate as many passersby as possible. On the other hand, tourist don't generally come to the ancient capital of Kyoto to spend their visit at a Starbucks.

And though the Starbucks at Sanjo-Ohashi makes an exception to this policy for two long tables that sit 6-people each, there would appear to be no business based rationale for the 20:00-23:00 restriction that comes to mind, as that is generally a time when people are either having dinner or out drinking. I suppose it is open to debate, but I would have thought that the business of the student population during that time frame would be welcome.

Perhaps the management of the Starbucks has been subjected to pressured by extortionist yakuza groups to discourage studying and other such activities in the neighborhood that they are trying to denigrate and dumb down. One would imagine, however, that a multi-national corporation would have the clout to stand up to such groups.

Hhmmm...

I have on occasion noticed some foreigners that seem to be in the game with the seedy entertainment set, which generally strikes the Kyoto resident as a fairly curious and somewhat incongruous sight.

And they certainly aren't tourists...

Aside from the seediness of hostesses and other cretins associated with what amounts to the sex-industry frequenting the cafe trolling for would be, er, clients, there is a fundamental legal question as to the scope of activity of a customer that the store can control once the customer has bought and purchased a beverage and taken a seat at a table.

That is to say, can the Starbucks tell a customer that they can't read a book at their table, or even limit the amount of time they stay at their table.

I seriously am considering bringing this matter before a small claims court here to here what the legal system holds in this regard.