Maezawa from the Corporate Planning Office here as well.
> The rule was that transportation expenses of ¥5,000–¥10,000 had to be paid upfront, but is it a problem to give someone ¥20,000 or otherwise pay more than the stated amount?
Not a problem at all.
The only rule is that women may request no more than ¥5,000–¥10,000 as a thank-you for the meal. There’s nothing wrong with a man paying more than that.
The rules are standardized. Different staff members can have different opinions, though.
I’m a male UC member and a member of the new salon, and my name is Rura.
As for me, I’ve always stuck to ¥10,000 for transportation expenses, so I’ve never wavered on that. But regarding the question:
> “Is it a problem to give ¥20,000 for transportation, exceeding the rules?”
I don’t think it’s a problem.
It’s true that an old staff blog post said, “Please don’t give more than ¥10,000,” but that was simply one staff member expressing their personal view on their blog. As far as I know, Universe Club doesn’t have a rule stating that giving more than ¥10,000 for transportation is a violation.
Whether a woman who receives a generous amount beyond the usual transportation expenses gets carried away is a matter of her own character. I feel that the idea that “men shouldn’t give more than ¥10,000 in the first place because it will lead more women to misunderstand the situation” is slightly misguided.
That said, if someone insists, “It’s the rule!” there isn’t much you can do. So if I wanted to give more than ¥10,000, I would do the following—assuming that “transportation expenses are limited to ¥10,000” were an absolute rule:
◎ First, I would meet her and immediately give her ¥10,000 as transportation expenses paid in advance. → This follows the rule of paying ¥10,000 upfront.
◎ Then, at the end of the date, I would say, “I had a great time today, so this is something extra,” and give her another ¥10,000. → After meeting, it’s entirely up to the two people, so the club can’t object. If it did, that would contradict the club’s basic principle that “once you’ve met, it’s a private relationship.”
That’s how I would handle it.
This way, the woman effectively receives ¥20,000 for transportation, while I’m not actually violating any of the club’s rules.
Hope this helps.
I’m Saito, a columnist ♪
I wonder if this is going to cause an uproar? lol
The time spent putting on makeup,
the time and money spent going to the salon,
the transportation costs and travel time,
and the unpleasant time spent having a meal… lol
If all that only amounts to ¥5,000, I’d hate it if I were in the woman’s position, no matter what the rules say.
Even if there were an allowance for an adult relationship after that, I wouldn’t expect much at all.
That’s just my personal opinion, though.
I’m sorry for imposing my selfish way of looking at things.
That’s really all this comes down to.
Isn’t that what a dating club is supposed to be for?
I’m だて◎ゆめ, a male member.
> Transportation money exceeding the usual amount
It is certainly an issue, if you want to call it one.
I do wonder whether it’s really appropriate to give young women excessively large sums, since it could distort their sense of money.
It hasn’t been very long since the question was posted, so perhaps it would be nice to hear some responses from women eventually.
From a woman’s perspective, it might feel premium and leave a good impression.
I’m hoping this will spark a lively debate, much like the discussions about going without a condom, finishing inside, and taking the pill.
Though perhaps the women will all stay silent（笑）
Or maybe someone will say, “Of course—I’m worth it.” If there’s anyone like that, I’d definitely like to meet her.
Naturally, though, that would be on the assumption that no transportation money is provided…
