With rent-a-friends like these, who needs real ones?

TrooperBari · Sep 21, 2009

And, no, this has nothing to do with conveniently located, affordably priced sex workers.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/20/japan-relatives-professional-stand-ins

The number of rent-a-friend agencies in Japan has doubled to about 10 in the past eight years. The best known, Office Agent, has 1,000 people on its books.

The rise of the phony friend is a symptom of social and economic changes, combined with a deep-seated cultural aversion to giving personal and professional problems a public airing.

In recent months demand has surged for bogus bosses among men who have lost their jobs; for colleagues among contract employees who never stay in the same job long enough to make friends, and from divorcees and lovelorn singletons.

Ichinokawa's agents charge a modest 15,000 yen (£100) to turn up at a wedding party, but extra if they are asked to make a speech or to sing karaoke.
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With rent-a-friends like these, who needs real ones?

TrooperBari Well-Known Member

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With rent-a-friends like these, who needs real ones?

TrooperBari Well-Known Member

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