When you do papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) privately, you have to handle any problems yourself. But with dating clubs such as Universe Club, will the staff step in if an issue arises?

The biggest advantage is the deterrent effect. Members’ identities are held by the club. Men have paid to become members, so if they do anything inappropriate, they risk being expelled and losing the chance to enjoy the service ever again. That pressure helps keep them in line. Women, on the other hand, face the pressure of receiving fewer offers if negative feedback accumulates and their rating drops. The fact that both sides have a place where they can tell the club, “This is what happened,” is probably one of the advantages over going it alone. When dealing with people individually, you’re exposed to things like scams and deception from the very beginning, so I imagine it can be tough.

When it comes to disputes, having a third party try to resolve them could potentially violate the Attorney Act. That’s why, in principle, disputes can only be resolved by the people involved themselves or by an attorney. (If it’s resolved just once, it may not be considered acting as a business, so it might not be an issue.) That said, Universe Club will get involved as much as possible without crossing any legal boundaries. We’ll push things right up to the line. So, compared with meeting people through dating apps or similar services, I think you can feel more at ease. Even so, please protect yourself as much as you reasonably can. For reference, I’ll also reproduce the relevant provisions of the Attorney Act below. Article 72 A person who is not an attorney or an attorney corporation may not, for the purpose of receiving compensation, engage in the business of providing expert opinions, representation, arbitration, settlement, or other legal services—or arranging such services—in connection with litigation, non-contentious cases, requests for examination, requests for re-examination, requests for a further re-examination, or other appeals against administrative authorities, as well as other general legal matters. However, this does not apply where otherwise provided by this Act or another law. Article 73 No person may engage in the business of acquiring another person’s rights and enforcing those rights through litigation, mediation, settlement, or any other means.