Apparently schoolgirls in Japan save up their used panties and then sell them all off to fund their various after-school pursuits. And I can't say I don't kind of applaud that. Good old fashioned manipulation.

To link this back to yesterday's kerfluffle about designer bags, the way the used-panty-machine works is an interesting little nugget: The panties aren't nicked from sleeping girls' rooms by pervs, they are sold by the girls themselves. For extra pocket money. To buy designer goods to Keep up with the... Tanakas.

X-Ray specs and panties. Reminds me of primary school. How terribly disturbing.

I gotta call torn on this issue. While it's a relief that scary men aren't stealing their underwear I can't help but feel like they have plenty of years ahead of them to exploit perverts' needs/ themselves. Call me old fashioned, but is it wrong to wish these girls a couple of innocent years when they can supplement their allowances with babysitting money and mowing neighbors' lawns?

@TrixieBelden: Ahh, if only. But, see, it's Japan- there ARE no lawns, and I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as babysitting. Japanese people are all about handling their own shit. Stay-at-home-moms are the Japanese way.
Don't worry, the girls don't start prostituting until high school. It's called "enjo kosai"- compensated dating.