'Wakaresaseya': Private Agents Hired To End Relationships (bbc.com) 52
Christine Ro from the BBC writes about the private agents in Japan, called "wakaresaseya," that you can hire to seduce your spouse or their partner. From the report: The industry is still serving a niche market. One survey showed around 270 wakaresaseya agencies advertising online. Many are attached to private-detective firms, similar to private investigators in other countries (who can also become entangled in relationship dissolution). "Wakaresaseya service costs quite a lot of money," acknowledges [Yusuke Mochizuki, an agent of the "farewell shop" First Group], so clients tend to be well-off. Mochizuki, a former musician who has turned his lifelong interest in detective work into a career, says that he might charge 400,000 yen for a relatively straightforward case in which there's plenty of information about the target's activities, but more if the target is, for example, a recluse. Fees can go as high as 20 million yen if a client is a politician or a celebrity, requiring the highest level of secrecy. (While Mochizuki says that his firm has a high success rate, a consultancy that provides advice on the industry points out that potential clients should be sceptical of such claims, and prepared for possible failure.)
Although some features of the wakaresaseya industry are unique to Japan, similar services exist around the world. They may be less formalized honeytrap or con-artist arrangements, or they may be part of the private-investigations industry. Conventionally "the Western perspective was to sensationalize the industry and almost exoticise it. There's this false exoticisation of Japan that occurs in the West quite frequently." It's difficult to gain a full understanding of the people affected by the wakaresaseya industry, because according to Scott, "people are very reluctant to be seen as associated with it, let alone a victim of it." The industry has a seedy reputation.
As TV and radio producer Mai Nishiyama comments; "There's a market for everything in Japan." This includes a variety of relationship-based services like renting faux family members and the additional services offered by wakaresaseya firms, such as assistance with romantic reconciliation, separating a child from an unsuitable girlfriend or boyfriend or preventing revenge porn. Agents can also be hired to gather evidence that will help a wronged spouse collect consolation money, which is compensation for the dissolution of a relationship. Although the Yamagami International Law Office hasn't worked with wakaresaseya agents, lawyer Shogo Yamagami notes that some clients do work with private agents more generally to obtain evidence of adultery. The consolation payment system means that hiring wakaresaseya agents can be beneficial not just emotionally, but also in practical monetary terms.
Although some features of the wakaresaseya industry are unique to Japan, similar services exist around the world. They may be less formalized honeytrap or con-artist arrangements, or they may be part of the private-investigations industry. Conventionally "the Western perspective was to sensationalize the industry and almost exoticise it. There's this false exoticisation of Japan that occurs in the West quite frequently." It's difficult to gain a full understanding of the people affected by the wakaresaseya industry, because according to Scott, "people are very reluctant to be seen as associated with it, let alone a victim of it." The industry has a seedy reputation.
As TV and radio producer Mai Nishiyama comments; "There's a market for everything in Japan." This includes a variety of relationship-based services like renting faux family members and the additional services offered by wakaresaseya firms, such as assistance with romantic reconciliation, separating a child from an unsuitable girlfriend or boyfriend or preventing revenge porn. Agents can also be hired to gather evidence that will help a wronged spouse collect consolation money, which is compensation for the dissolution of a relationship. Although the Yamagami International Law Office hasn't worked with wakaresaseya agents, lawyer Shogo Yamagami notes that some clients do work with private agents more generally to obtain evidence of adultery. The consolation payment system means that hiring wakaresaseya agents can be beneficial not just emotionally, but also in practical monetary terms.
Never tell me the odds (Score:2)
"Wakaresaseya service costs quite a lot of money,"
There's a near perfect causation between being dually able to afford the service, and able to properly pronounce Wakaresaseya, to a 100% distrust of your significant other.
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Not exactly a ringing endorsement of the editors, hmm?
Fiction? (Score:2)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
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pretty funny movie
Funny? Its IMDb rating is funny indeed ( 5.9 )
Amazing (Score:3)
Re:Amazing (Score:5, Informative)
Reading the article hints at some reasons:
a) Apparently under Japanese law, it's not possible to get a divorce if only one side wants to end a marriage. At least no easy or straightforward way. Either you'd need mutual agreement (both partners want out), or there must be serious reasons like a partner's mental illness, infidelity, physical abuse, etc. If such a service provides proof that your partner is having an affair, you have ammo to use in court.
On a side note: imho that is a problem with the law itself. A marriage should continue as long as both partners want it so. But if that's no longer the case, that is: either partner wants out, that should be possible. Sure the law may provide for counseling, make sure you can't do it within a week after deciding to, etc. But in the end if either partner wants to end their marriage, that should be possible even if the other partner disagrees. Whatever the reason(s) for wanting out, people should not be forced to remain stuck in a marriage they no longer want to be in.
b) Jealousy. If your partner is having an affair, use such a service to have his/her partner seduced. Thus breaking up the affair, and partner (hopefully) returns to you.
One can debate the how or why, or whether there's any point to it. But either way, it's clear why some people would pay for services like this.
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This is as a result of excessive over refinement of society. Rather than being polite, honest and straight to the point. Hey, we are interested in you are you hikikomori or not, they go through a who expensive convoluted process that if caught out, immediately sensed and interpreted, just goes pointlessly no where. They feel compelled due to societal pressures, that careful refinement of all behaviours, to take extra precautions and those extra precautions become the reason for failure. Sometimes they succe
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No idea how that works in Japan, but in many countries you stand to lose a great deal of money if you are rich and you initiate a divorce.
In the U.S., you lose your kids, your home, half your assets, and a significant portion of your income forever.
If you're a man.
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The very first paragraph of TFA notes that back in 2010 one of these guys killed the woman he was hired to seduce. The fact that people are lured into fake relationships is a pretty big foul in itself, even if it doesn't end in murder.
Japan actually makes divorce by mutual consent quite easy, but if one side doesn't consent it has to go through family courts. Apparently some people would rather avoid the embarrassment of that, or don't want to admit that they are the ones who want a divorce (perhaps because
Re: Amazing (Score:3)
Do the companies consider ending relationships through homicide as a success?
The relationship did, after all, end.
If so, then it becomes a viable business strategy, same reason crime lords are very powerful there.
The ethics of starting or ending anything by false pretenses is questionable, using philosophies understood in Europe since the Middle Ages.
But in Asia, which is still heavily influenced by Eastern feudal thought, integrity isn't necessarily determined by honesty but by protocol.
It's their culture,
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Re: Amazing (Score:2)
It is. But in a society where protocol is everything and honesty is nothing, and where crime is tolerated, it's inevitable.
News for nerds? (Score:5, Funny)
Ok, how is ending relationships relevant to slashdot nerds? Don't you have to be in one first?
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It's for parents who want to "emancipate" their kids before they turn 18
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before they turn 40
Fixed that for you...
Re: News for nerds? (Score:2)
Remember that nature says the age for that is 13.
And I don't mean what you perverts are thinking right now. ;)
I mean knowing how shit works and being able to run your own shit. (Or any other kond of non-excrement matter. ;)
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Traditionally in Western culture, kids were allowed to think they had some responsibility and control at 13 or 14, just enough rope to hang themselves. When they screwed everything up they were entrusted with, and had to clean up whatever mess that made at heroic effort, then they'd be willing to listen to advice, at least for a little while. Repeat as needed until it sinks in they have a lot to learn. It was a good system.
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Re: News for nerds? (Score:2)
It's called Windows 7.
Yes, I'm sorry to break your cognitive dissonance.
Windows 7 is literally just a minor update to Vista.
As are 8 and mostly also 10.
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Obviously you aren't Japanese. Otherwise you would have a dakimakura.
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Not for a sweaty otaku . . .
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More like Ken Masters.
SHINRYUUUUKEN
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No, of course you don't. Your target needs to be in a relationship, though. https://cheezburger.com/586740... [cheezburger.com]
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Ok, how is ending relationships relevant to slashdot nerds?
Slashdot nerds' parents would like to end the nerds' relationships with their parents' basements.
Re: News for nerds? (Score:2)
Okay then (Score:2)
My neighbor uses their clothes dryer too much and points the vent at us instead of their yard. How much to "correct" this?
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How much is a gallon of gasoline going for where you live?
Golddiger panning in streams (Score:1, Insightful)
Given that younger women marry richer older men, and decide as they "hit the wall" that, with all the first man's money, they can do beter, why is anyone surprised by this one. It's even more fun when he's abandoned his friends, hobbies, and any interesting part of his life for her and the kids how he's "not the man they married" and they think they've earned most of his retitement money?
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Re: Golddiger panning in streams (Score:2)
Please do not confuse patterns of US society with patterns of the whole world.
That confusing money with attractivity thing is distincly an US-American thing. No offense.
If you travel to say, Germany, France, etc, you will find that flaunting your material wealth or acting all interested when somebody does, is extremely unattractive around here. It can kill any flirt in mere seconds.
Ditto for faking who you are, being an act, a poser, the like. Women can smell that from miles away, and not touch you with a t
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"That confusing money with attractivity thing is distincly an US-American thing."
Yet oddly wealthy guys EVERYWHERE seem to consistently get much more attractive and younger women than the guys digging ditches. I'm sure Diana fell for Prince Charles due to his personality. Or Melania didn't care at all about Donald's money.
Or any of these international couples: https://www.cheatsheet.com/hea... [cheatsheet.com]
Sounds like entrapment to me (Score:2)
The result of a cowardly society. (Score:2, Insightful)
A shame society instead of a blame society.
Same reason our (Abrahamic) religious go force the world in to their delusion with terror, while their religious try to remove themselves from the world (Nirvana) with fire, for example.
It is not in any way better.
It's like a Demolition Man society, and we are the sewer dwellers going into the other extreme. When really, we should merge and find a sane balanced middle ground.
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The result of a cowardly society.
A shame society instead of a blame society.
You probably haven't noticed, but a vocal minority in the western world is trying to do the same ... except that they aren't even waiting for an action, they are shaming #wrongthink instead. This new puritan drive is worrisome; we've all seen how witch trials go - even the people who don't believe the person is a witch will happily cheer because if they don't they will be tied to the stake.
When really, we should merge and find a sane balanced middle ground.
We have to wait for the witch trials to be over first.
This isn't limited to Japan. (Score:2)
Just like my chinese cartoonz (Score:2)
NTR FOR HIRE.
There. I said it.
In contrast, the low-cost American approach (Score:3)
Someone will inevitably come up with an app called Dumpr. For the young and inarticulate, it will offer a choice of prewritten kissoff messages.
Often its free and a friend (Score:2)
It's not unheard of for someone to have an attractive friend hit on their partner to see if they take the bait, and that's usually done for free. It's been done enough the practice has been recreated on many TV shows and even is a common porn category, or so I've heard.
Bad news. (Score:1)