I’m a female member. When I meet a male member for the first time, almost all of them ask, “How many offers have you received so far?” and “How many dates have you been on?”

Teramoto from the Tokyo branch of Universe Club will answer as well. First, there’s something I want to say—and apologize for. Men are generally more possessive than women. Age has nothing to do with it. We’re simply more prone to jealousy. I’m a man myself, so I understand how men feel very well. I’m sorry. Women often feel, “She must like me,” when someone opens up emotionally to them, while men often feel that way toward someone who becomes physically intimate with them. When a man asks, “How many people have you met so far?” it’s often because he’s jealous. That’s how simple men can be. I’m no different. So although it can be difficult and frustrating, I think the relationship will be better for both of you if you can just brush it off with an attitude like, “Haha, he’s jealous again—what a cute guy.”

I’m Tetsu, a male member. As you’ve pointed out, they probably want to gauge how active you are at the club—assuming that receiving few offers means you’re not very popular, while receiving many means you’re experienced. By finding this out, they likely hope to use it as a reference when deciding on your allowance and planning future dates. In other words, they’re trying to gain the upper hand in the negotiations. Their thinking is probably that women who receive few offers have less experience with negotiations, making it easier to propose terms that favor the man. Conversely, women who receive many offers are more experienced and may already have met men offering good terms, so negotiations need to be handled more carefully. If you’re not comfortable negotiating, I think it’s best to answer honestly. Lying unnecessarily can weigh on you emotionally. At the same time, it’s important to stay committed to protecting your minimum terms. On the other hand, if you’re good at negotiating, you could turn the man’s question to your advantage by giving the impression that you already have other men offering favorable terms, allowing you to negotiate from a stronger position.

I’m a lost man in my 60s. Contrary to the experience described by the questioner, I once met a woman who was actually glad I asked. She was the first woman I met after joining the club. She was lovely, so I found myself wondering how many men had offered to meet her and why she was choosing to see me, and I ended up asking. Then she started opening up about one man after another—the men who insisted on exchanging LINE contacts, the extremely arrogant ones, and so on. When I asked why she was telling me so much, she said she desperately wanted someone to listen, but couldn’t talk to anyone about papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan). So she was really happy that I listened that day. Since it seems you’ve been meeting men without having experiences like that, perhaps you could take it as one topic stemming from a man’s interest and consideration toward you. Just handle it smoothly and let it slide… lol

Maezawa from Shacho-shitsu here. Thank you for your question. As for the number of dates after registering, if he’s genuinely the first man you’ve met, I think it’s best to simply say, “This is my first time.” I don’t think having few offers means you’re unpopular. Well, maybe some men do think that—but they may also wonder, “Why isn’t the woman I like more popular?” and even feel a little pleased that they’re the one who can see her appeal. If you’ve actually received two or three offers, I think it’s fine to tell the truth. Men sometimes check with the club, so if they know it isn’t your first time, saying it is will only make them think you’re lying. If you’ve received four or more offers, I think it’s better to answer that you’ve received two or three. When men hear that there are a lot of competitors, they often give up right away. But if it’s only two or three, many feel they might still have a chance. For a very popular woman with more than ten offers, a man may think, “That can’t be true,” if she says she’s received two or three. But since he has no proof that she’s lying, he’ll often just feel uneasy and think, “Well, if that’s what she says…” I don’t think there’s much benefit to telling the whole truth. > What do male members want to do with that information? Some may simply want to know how many offers women typically receive through an exclusive dating club. They may also ask several women because they want to get a sense of what it’s really like. But beyond simple curiosity, some men are also looking for a certain type of woman. So I think it’s worth being a little careful.

I’m Flaren, a male member! I end up asking that too, to be honest… I know there’s a good chance it’ll put her in an awkward position, though. Sorry. Personally, I think it’s fine whether you answer honestly or not. You can assume that male members can make a fairly accurate guess about how many offers a woman is receiving. It’s not usually stated outright, but we can get a general idea from the staff member in charge and the comments on her profile. So even if she lies, we may already know. We’re fully aware that she might not be telling the truth, so we either think, “Ah, so that’s the story she’s going with,” or, “Wow, she’s incredibly honest.” As for what I’m trying to accomplish, I simply want to find out what kind of person she is. Whether it’s true or not isn’t the point. I also sometimes ask about unpleasant experiences she’s had in the past. I tend to bombard her with questions because I want her to open up, and I regret it every time. The safest answer is probably, “You’re my third,” after all. I make one of the previous two out to be the bad one and the other the good one. I mention the things I don’t want her to do using the bad one as an example, and subtly hint at my preferences through the good one. Then the man sitting in front of her will hopefully avoid doing the things she dislikes and compete with the good one by doing his best with the allowance and everything else.（笑）

I’m Taro, a male member. I get asked that too—almost every time（笑） When I first started, I wanted women to be pure, so the answers I was hoping for were, “It’s my first time!” or, “I’ve met two or three, but they were all weird.” After meeting a few women, I realized that almost everyone gave one of those two answers, and I started to feel that something was off. That realization brought me one step closer to understanding the essence of the dating-club game. I still ask every time. One reason is to break the ice and ease the slightly tense atmosphere. Another is to use their answer as a clue to figure out how they want to be perceived. More specifically, I’m trying to tell whether they’re the type who wants to hide all their less-flattering sides and play the pure-love card, or the type who is candid while still keeping things tasteful. It’s not about which is better or worse—it simply helps me decide how to build the relationship. So, to answer your question: answering honestly is something only a foolish woman would do. “I’ll leave that to your imagination” is probably the worst possible answer. I hope this helps.