I don’t really understand why relatively young married women in their late 20s to early 30s, who don’t seem to be having financial difficulties, sign up with dating agencies. What are they thinking?

Maezawa from the CEO’s office here. I can’t say for sure what’s going on psychologically beneath the surface, but based on what I’ve heard during interviews, it seems that many of them are dissatisfied because they’re in a sexless marriage and their husbands no longer see them as women. They still want reassurance that they’re women, and they want to enjoy intimacy. On top of that, they’re happy to receive an allowance. Something like that. Their pride won’t allow them to accept it without an allowance, but deep down, they seem to feel that they’d be fine even without one. What they’re really hoping for is to be treated as women. So, while they don’t necessarily dislike intimacy and may be okay with it right away, they also want to have proper meals and dates. (Maybe that’s what being treated as a woman means to them.)

I’m Fuu, a column writer. There may be all kinds of reasons that only the person herself knows, don’t you think? Everyone has something to some extent—a gap in their heart where they’re not satisfied with life. They want to fill it, and reduce their regrets in this short life. For example, this is just speculation, and you can’t tell from the outside, but perhaps: - She and her husband no longer have an intimate relationship. - Their sex life is too dull for her to feel satisfied. - She married for money in the first place and never really loved him. And so on. Having a papa (a male supporter), feeling fulfilled, and receiving money could also be one aspect of happiness, couldn’t it?

I’m Kazu, a male member. Maybe he simply wants to enjoy women. I think it’s much the same as single women having friends with benefits while saying they wouldn’t consider those men suitable marriage partners.