Yuichi Ishii Interview
Society & the Future

In France, no company offers this kind of service. But in Japan, Family Romance has grown to handle 500 requests per month. Let me explain from three perspectives.

Reason 1: Rapid Changes in Family Structure

In Japan, approximately 250,000 couples divorce each year -- <strong>one couple every 2 minutes</strong>. Japan was once a country of three-generation households. But since the period of high economic growth, nuclear families became the norm, and now single-person households are surging. <strong>The very concept of "family" is undergoing a major transformation</strong>.

Reason 2: Japan's Culture of "Keeping Up Appearances"

Japanese people are extremely concerned about "how others see them."

In Western cultures, individualism is strong -- "others are others, I am me." But in Japan, collectivist values remain deeply rooted: "I feel uneasy if I'm different from everyone else" and "being different is embarrassing."

Reason 3: The Transformation of Communication

With the advancement of IT, it has become possible to live without meeting people face-to-face.

In exchange for convenience, <strong>the opportunities and ability to build human relationships have declined</strong>. "I don't know how to make friends," "workplace relationships are superficial," "I can't find a partner" -- these are serious social problems in modern Japan.

A Society Where LGBTQ+ Cannot Come Out

In Japan, <strong>same-sex marriage is currently not legally recognized</strong>. Social acceptance also varies significantly by region and generation.

Some clients use our services when they need to bring an opposite-sex partner to situations where they cannot come out to colleagues or relatives.

This certainly reflects the reality that <strong>Japanese society has not fully accepted diverse forms of love</strong>. But I don't think of them as "lying." They are <strong>protecting themselves from society's intolerance</strong>.

The ideal is a society where everyone can live as their true selves. But until reality catches up, we will be their "shield."

Implicit Pressure Against Singlehood and Isolation

Japanese society has an <strong>implicit pressure</strong> against being single past a certain age or having few friends. Behind questions like "Aren't you getting married?", "Don't you have friends?", "What do you do on weekends?" lies the assumption that "being married is normal" and "having lots of friends is normal."

Not Just "Hiding"

However, it's important to note that many clients don't simply want to "hide something embarrassing."

A man in his 60s who lost his wife and was mentally devastated rents a wife and daughter for emotional healing. Someone who was hurt in relationships and avoided human contact practices trusting people again in a "safe relationship" with our stand-in staff.

<strong>Our service has this aspect of "emotional rehabilitation"</strong>. Many clients find it easier to use "family rental" than to go to counseling.

"Visualizing" Social Problems

The very fact that our service is needed "visualizes" the problems in Japanese society.

Solving these problems is not our job. But by continuing to show that these problems exist, we hope to be a catalyst for social change.

The Rise of "Social Media Flexing" Stand-ins

The spread of social media has definitely impacted our business. A prime example is our <strong>"social media flexing" stand-in service</strong> -- clients who want us to stage a "fulfilling daily life" for their social media posts.

Our staff accompany them as "friends" or "significant others" for these photo sessions.

Modern Society's "Need for Validation"

This symbolizes modern society's "need for validation." Wanting to confirm one's own worth by getting "likes" on social media. Wanting to appear to be "living your best life" online even if real relationships are thin -- this contradiction is a phenomenon unique to the social media age.

A Service That Promotes Independence

What's interesting is that through this service, by teaching clients "how to take photos" and tips for "Instagram-worthy" content, we <strong>support them in becoming independent</strong>.

Rather than becoming dependent on stand-ins, we want clients to acquire skills and graduate. That is our policy.

Increased Awareness Through Social Media

Social media has also contributed to raising awareness of our company. I personally post daily on Twitter, and my followers <strong>exceed 100,000</strong>. Many clients discover us through social media.

Stand-in services that were once taboo have been made visible through social media, <strong>lowering the barrier to use</strong>. "Such a service exists!" "I'm not the only one!" -- Through social media, many people have discovered our services and been helped.

Client "Independence" Is the True Success

Ultimately, what we aim for is our clients' "independence." Through our services, their hearts are healed, they regain confidence, and they can build genuine relationships. <strong>The day they can "graduate" from our stand-in service</strong> -- that is our true success.

Clients Who "Graduated"

There are clients who have actually "graduated" from our services.

Toward a Society Where We Don't Need to Exist

A Catalyst for Social Change

The very existence of our service poses a question to society.

I hope for the day when society answers these questions.

Expanding Services

Currently we handle 500 requests per month, but we believe the latent demand is much greater.

But expansion alone is not the goal.

Maintaining Quality

Staff training, manual development, trouble prevention -- maintaining service quality even as we grow is our top priority. Continuing to provide heartfelt service to each individual client -- that is Family Romance's mission.

Advocacy for Society

We want to be not just a business, but <strong>an entity that makes social problems visible</strong>. Through media appearances, lectures, book publications -- we continue to raise awareness about the problems of modern society.

Passing the Torch to the Next Generation

Someday, the day will come when I step back from the front lines. Nurturing people who will carry on Family Romance's philosophy is also an important mission.

I want to pass on our philosophy of "Joy Beyond the Real" to the next generation.