I’m a single woman in my late 30s, and I’m struggling financially, so I’m considering starting papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan).

Being just shy of 40 means you’re still in your late 30s, right? Naturally, the number of offers tends to decrease with age. Even so, attractive women still receive offers. I think what makes someone attractive changes depending on her age group. When you’re young, it’s mostly about your appearance. But as you get older, you develop more depth, along with an alluring, sensual presence or an elegant, refined beauty. You begin to carry an atmosphere that’s uniquely your own, and I believe that becomes the appeal of women in their 30s and 40s. Of course, you may not notice it yourself. But if you ever find yourself wondering, “Why am I so popular?” or “Why do people approach me?” it may actually be because you’re giving off that kind of appeal. This isn’t something that can be judged from writing alone, so I recommend registering and giving it a try. Apparently, some of the busier branches are discussing whether to raise their screening standards. Since they’re busy, they seem to be leaning toward properly interviewing only beautiful women and sending everyone else home quickly, so they can spend more time on other work. As a result, I feel there may be a greater chance of women with inner appeal being overlooked and rejected during the interview. Considering that, I think it would be better to apply sooner rather than later. In that case, it would also be a good idea to choose a branch that isn’t too crowded.

This isn’t a joke—it’s a true story. I heard about a single mom in her 30s who started papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) with a married man to make life easier, only to be sued by his wife. The case ended with her being ordered to pay ¥3 million in damages, so now she’s doing papa-katsu to pay it back. Don’t take papa-katsu lightly. You wouldn’t say, “Life is tough, so I’ll become a scam mule,” right? Papa-katsu isn’t anywhere near that extreme, but it comes with all kinds of risks. Like Yazakura-san, you need to accept that if you’re found out, there may be consequences. If you’re prepared for that and still feel it’s necessary to add some color to your life, then go for it. > Or perhaps limit yourself to single papas, even if that narrows your options…? If it were me, I’d be extremely careful about hiding my personal information from married papas. I mentioned this in a discussion about an earlier question. Single moms may be especially likely to let their guard down around older, married papas and open up about their difficult circumstances, but don’t forget that there’s a tiger called “his wife” lurking behind him. On the other hand, with a single man who approaches you, you could feel things out, take a shot, and try to draw him in by using your sad story in a psychologically manipulative way. If an inexperienced man who’s never been married starts basking in the fantasy that he can be the savior of you and your child, you’re halfway there. It’s a pretty advanced game of psychological maneuvering, but if you’re lucky, it might work. Good luck. As for the tricks… Well, first: ① portray your ex-husband as the absolute villain—if necessary, make it sound as though he assaulted you, got you pregnant, and forced you into marriage; and ② instead of simply saying, “Life is hard,” emphasize that “life is hard, but I’m staying positive and doing my best.” Also, this may be an unexpected blind spot, but a second son is better than a firstborn. Why? Unlike firstborn sons, second sons generally weren’t raised hearing things like, “You’re the one we need.” They tend to be vulnerable to feeling needed. Another option is a son from a single-mother household. When he sees a single mom, he may project his own hardworking mother onto her and feel compelled to help. The secret to a single mom’s comeback—remember that.

I’m such a lolicon that I’m practically on the same level as Mac or Makeo, but I’ve fallen hard for a new mid-thirties Type A woman and am enjoying every day. You’ve got nothing to lose by giving it a try, so I really hope you’ll go to the Universe Club interview.

The average age in Japan is around 48, which is also the largest age group. And since people aged 65 and over hold roughly two-thirds of Japan’s total wealth, if you’re reasonably attractive, maintain your figure, have a certain sex appeal, and appeal to men—and you’re okay with your papa (a male supporter) being 65 or older—then there should be demand. If you want to make money quickly, I’d say the adult entertainment industry, such as a delivery escort service, is probably your best bet. I’ve seen people on YouTube who are older than you and specialize in delivery escort services for seniors. Apparently, there’s a huge demand. They even seem to see clients up to around 90 years old...

I’m Fullerene! I’m not sure what you mean by “mistress” in this context—things like how often you meet, what the relationship involves, and what kind of arrangement you’re looking for—but the person I see most often is about the same age as you! That said, we’ve actually been seeing each other since she was in her late twenties. I also regularly see someone else who was in her mid-forties when we started. Some are married, some are single mothers, and in one case, her marital status even changed while we were seeing each other, haha. Compared with women in their early twenties… ◎ They’re more reliable—plans don’t change constantly, and they don’t keep contradicting themselves. ◎ They tend to have the kind of personality that tries to make you feel good about yourself (although I don’t particularly expect that). ◎ Since we’re closer in age, the realism of the pseudo-romantic aspect feels just right. Those are some of the good points. In fact, I imagine that during interviews, qualities like these probably carry more weight for women in their forties. (Someone who’s 20 might still get registered after rescheduling a branch interview three times, but someone who’s 40 would probably be rejected.) When you look at each person individually, though, I feel like the differences in the points above aren’t actually that significant. My impression is that younger women are more likely to be immediately cut loose even when their shortcomings might otherwise be forgiven, so the only ones who remain are those who are genuinely wonderful people. Personally, I’ve had more good experiences with women who have children. I hope this helps!

If you’re seriously considering it, I think you should give it a try. It’s better to live your life without regrets, especially at your age. When you’re young, there are so many possibilities ahead that getting involved in papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) may be a bit of a waste for both men and women. But with fewer years ahead, I think it’s best to live the rest of your life as you wish. There is a small amount of demand. (Most women at these clubs are in their mid-20s or younger.) Since the supply is also quite limited, demand may even exceed supply in some cases.