Female membership has declined compared with before. Do you think this trend will continue during the COVID-19 pandemic?

I’m Saito, the columnist ♪ ① COVID will continue, fundamentally changing our lifestyles and the way businesses are run. ② Male members with name recognition and positions of responsibility won’t pursue new women; their money will flow toward the women they’re already seeing. ③ More women will fall into Dating Type B, leaving confused male members at their mercy. That’s all. LOL

Joe here, continuing with my hindsight commentary. First, a modest story from my experience during the Lehman Shock. For Joe, the Lehman Shock is a good memory—because I multiplied my assets several times over. At the same time, I was getting a little carried away. My equipment wasn’t exactly performing at its best even back then, so I couldn’t brag about my in-and-out game, but I do feel that more attractive women approached me with smiles than they do now. Now, as for COVID—that’s the real problem. I know it may sound insensitive, but when the COVID crisis first broke out, I thought, “Here’s my chance!” However, as Mac-san pointed out, the situation is completely different from the Lehman Shock. Back then, some companies and individuals were forced out, but quite a few people, like Joe, expanded their businesses. It wasn’t all that difficult. To be honest, during the Lehman Shock, I thought, “If you can’t make money from this, you’re below a mitochondrion” (laughs). Another difference from the Lehman Shock is that, so far, most desirable real estate hasn’t declined in price. Back then, prices fell day by day, so even someone like Joe—who has no particular talent but plenty of grit—could make a fortune. There are various reasons real estate prices haven’t fallen, but Joe suspects that, as Mac-san suggests, more people than expected are convinced that the Tokyo Olympics will be held. At least, everyone around Joe is firmly in the “they’ll go ahead” camp. As for the papa-katsu situation, at least for Joe, the basic pattern hasn’t changed: I’m still being tossed around by attractive women with E- to G-cup figures. Unfortunately, I’m in no position to comment on anything.

Maezawa from the president’s office here, answering as well. Even among women who were already registered, I remember some declined during the state of emergency, saying, “Not right now.” Women tend to be more sensitive to risk than men. There isn’t currently a state of emergency, and I don’t think the government will be able to declare another one even if it wanted to. Still, when infection numbers are high, I think more women will choose to stay home. And I suspect that women’s participation has declined across the entire industry—not just at Universe. By “the industry,” I’m including apps as well. Since more men tend not to be concerned about it, the number of offers hasn’t decreased. I think that on apps too, it’s the women—not the men—whose numbers are declining. If that’s the case, now is a good opportunity. Women who are able to be active will receive more offers from men. I imagine it’s the same on apps. In that case, it may be better to register with Universe, where there are many wealthy men. Women are beginning to have the upper hand, so it would be wise to think carefully about how to proceed. As for the future, once COVID settles down, I feel that, as you suspect, the number of women may suddenly increase. From that point on, men may once again have the advantage. But it’s difficult to predict the future. Sometimes predictions come true, and sometimes they don’t.

I’m Flag Maker, a columnist. I think the trend of people trying to make money independently will accelerate over the next few years. Against that backdrop, I expect papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) to remain a fairly well-known way for women to earn money. With large gatherings and social events restricted during the pandemic, discreet meetings like those involved in papa-katsu may actually be relatively easy to arrange. Personally, all those tedious company drinking parties and gatherings have been banned, giving me more free time. It’s also easier to schedule discreet meetings on the sly, so this situation actually works in my favor. I perform at my best in one-on-one, close-quarters situations. Because of the pandemic, women are also hesitant to get together for meals with several friends. So no one finds out they’re seeing me, they don’t have to worry about anyone else, and I treat them to great food. My value has gone up（笑） I’ve steadily put in the effort and followed up all this time. I’ve diligently replied to messages, always sent a LINE message on their birthdays, and played the role of a safe and reliable guy. I even went to practical sex training. During the pandemic, I lost 5 kg dieting, and my abs have gradually started to show from working out. I’m glad all my efforts have finally paid off…（泣）

I’m Basil, a male member. I’ve written something similar before, but my guess is that the number of female members has declined because the more ordinary, near-amateur women who wanted to enjoy a little luxury became wary of COVID and cut back on nonessential shopping, overseas travel, studying abroad, and so on. On the other hand, the number of women who genuinely need the money and are serious about papa-katsu may have stayed the same or even increased—and perhaps they’re feeling more desperate than before. That just goes to show how effectively this club had attracted ordinary-looking women who registered out of curiosity, helped by its flashy advertising. Looking at the newly registered women, I also feel there are fewer who seem like amateurs. And although I don’t have enough examples to know whether this is a general trend, I’ve noticed that fewer women seem reluctant even when offered a relatively low allowance. I assume the number of amateurs will decrease, while the going rate for professionals will also fall. I’d be interested to hear everyone’s thoughts.

I’m Paper Airplane, a male member. For the time being, I recommend cherishing the woman you’re currently seeing. I don’t think things will get quite as disastrous as they were during COVID unless the clubs suspend operations, but you should probably be prepared for both the quality and quantity of offers to decline for a while—like businesses seeing sales fall by 30%, then by half, or even by 90%. If you don’t currently have a good partner, then I suppose you’ll just have to accept that you, too, weren’t chosen and ended up left over… These are dating clubs, after all. If all you think about is getting offers, that isn’t really dating…