Article: Photos of preteen girls in thongs now big business.

Byline: Jun Hongo

May 3--Asuka Izumi was modeling for a DVD in July 2005 when the director asked her to put on a string bikini. She was just 12 years old.

She agreed to pose in the sexy bathing suit and now, nearly two years later, that DVD is credited with starting the popularity of "T-back junior idols."

Izumi, now 14, went on to pose in thong bikinis in four photo books and several DVDs. She looks back on that first time in a revealing bikini and said she had no reason not to do it.

"It wasn't a big deal. The director asked me to do it, and I did it because I wanted to," Izumi, who is still in junior high school but has appeared before the camera as a child ...

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