Rental Family: Japan's Unique Social Service

Rental Family Business in Japan: A Unique Service Filling Social NeedsIn this episode, we delve into the intriguing world of Japans rental family business, where people hire surrogate attendees and family members for various social situations. Ryuichi Ichinokawa, founder of Heart Project, has been providing such services for nearly two decades, filling roles from reporters at events to husbands for fertility treatments.The industry gains attention with the release of the new film Rental Family, starring Brendan Fraser, which explores similar themes of hired actors filling emotional voids. Ichinokawa emphasizes his goal is to serve people and bring them happiness, often creating fake business cards and maintaining strict rules to avoid complications.The demand for such services in Japan, a country grappling with loneliness and social isolation, seems to be growing, even with advancements in artificial intelligence.The Daily News Now! — Every city. Every story. AI-powered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.