More and more women in Japan are making a surprising career choice: drinking and flirting with men for a huge salary. Although "hostessing" used to be considered shameful, it’s becoming a more attractive option for young women.

The lowest paid hostesses earn at least $20 an hour, while the highest paid can earn up to $300,000 a year. Since young women without college degrees have very few career options in the midst of Japan’s recession, making over $100,00 a year just for providing men with drinks and "attentive conversation" is pretty appealing.

The drawback, say some hostesses, is the late nights and heavy drinking, which can obviously take their toll. And some experts worry that although hostesses are not paid for sex, they can be easily sucked into Japan’s underground sex industry. Still, many people view hostesses as independent, successful career women. The country’s most famous hostess is a national celebrity and is considering retiring at age 27. Even a member of Japanese Parliament admits she was once a hostess herself.

Would you consider a position like "hostessing" to be more financially secure during hard economic times?

Source: Flickr user Robert Swier