Woman in Japan earns praise after opening maid café with daughter, whom she birthed at 14

Japanese teen mum opens maid café with daughter

“No matter my age, my love for my child never changed from the moment I became a mother,” said Yuka, a Japanese woman whose life story has recently gone viral.

She now runs a maid cafe with her daughter, who she gave birth to at age 14.

While the young mother raised her child with the support of her parents and relatives, Yuka has never revealed details about her child’s father, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

Teen mum turned entrepreneur

After finishing junior high school, the teen juggled part-time work at a beauty salon with beauty school.

It was at 19 when Yuka took a bold step.

Using her savings and additional help from her parents, she opened her own hair salon while raising her daughter.

She also managed to pay off her tuition fees.

Throughout the years, Yuka emphasised communication in parenting.

“I created an environment where my daughter was always cheerful and smiling, encouraging her to ‘teach instead of getting angry’,” she said.

“I was always conscious of being within reach for her, so that I could immediately notice if something was going wrong.”

She often described her daughter as both her best friend and sister, saying that because of her daughter, she has someone to enjoy beauty, trends and fashion with.

From hair salon to maid café

After her daughter graduated from secondary school, the duo decided to pursue the teenager’s dream.

Together, they opened a maid-themed café — part of Japan’s subculture where waitresses in maid outfits provide emotional support to customers, without physical contact, SCMP said.

Although Yuka has not disclosed how successful the café is, she believes the journey has strengthened their bond.

“I believe that overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic and various other hardships as business partners has been a valuable experience for both of us,” she said.

As Yuka’s parents own a hairdresser shop, her daughter has now transitioned to working there, Oricon News reported.

“My daughter now works in the family business, and I have returned to being a housewife, supporting her from behind as a mother,” she said.

Social media reacts to teen mother

According to South China Morning Post (SCMP), the story has sparked widespread discussion in Japan.

Many praised Yuka’s resilience, with one netizen saying that she became a mother while still a child herself.

“Even with family support, she must have faced unimaginable physical and emotional pain,” they added.

Another netizen echoed this sentiment: “I really admire this young mother. She took on the responsibility on her own and has cared for her daughter very well.”

However, others urged caution.

“We should not romanticise teenage motherhood. Yuka’s experience highlights the need for stronger protection mechanisms for minors,” said one netizen.

Changing context in Japan

The story also comes against the backdrop of legal changes in Japan.

In 2023, the age of consent was raised from 13 to 16 as part of reforms to strengthen protection for minors against sex crimes.

Japanese law now mandates a prison sentence of at least five years for sexual activity with anyone under 13, even with consent.

For Yuka, she described her daughter as her “best friend and the best and strongest partner“.

“Since she’s become an adult, her horizons have broadened, and we have fun together. For me, the greatest happiness is to see my daughter meet wonderful people and be happy.”

Also read: Mother in Japan removes daughter’s ventilator after 5 years’ care, gets probation

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Featured image adapted from Oricon News.