Regarding the July 18 article "Human-trafficking not addressed: U.N. envoy": Although this story focused on Japan alone, I thought you may be interested in knowing that between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the United States each year as well. They come from places all over the world like Asia, Africa, India, China, Latin America and more.
As a fellow advocate, I recommend reading "The Slave Next Door: Human Trafficking and Slavery in America Today." It's a very powerful book that dissects the existence of modern slavery in the U.S. through firsthand accounts and shows us how to act against this awful reality. The authors are Kevin Bales, president of Free the Slaves, and Ron Soodalter, a historian and folklorist. Freetheslaves.net is a great place to learn more, too.