If they want romance, why do some men go out of their way to use an exclusive dating club instead of a dating app?

I’m Kazu, a male member. Money is power. I understand that many people with low incomes end up pairing off, but plenty of women also look for a certain level of income in a marriage partner. Without an income, getting married isn’t easy. You’re aware, aren’t you, that if you weren’t attractive, men your own age probably wouldn’t show interest in you either? In the same way, I’m aware that money is what solves the problem for me. I joined a dating club to use money to solve the hassle.

Maezawa from the CEO’s office here as well. I’ve made a partial revision to the question. Lately, more questions have been using offensive language. Since revising questions is a hassle, I may hide them without warning. Please be careful. I think there are many men who want a romantic relationship that involves money. At a dating club, as long as an allowance is paid and both parties are comfortable with the arrangement, I think romance is also possible. Perhaps you’re referring to men who don’t want to pay an allowance, but as you said, that’s asking too much. I agree that men who say, “I’m popular, so I don’t need to pay,” should leave the dating club immediately. That said, at this point, Universe Club is the biggest dating club in Japan (lol), so I think some strange men are gathering there in an attempt to somehow deceive the women who come to the club. If you happen to encounter one of those men, please keep sending us feedback—ratings are especially important right now, so that their total score reaches -2, the lowest possible score. Eventually, they should be forced to leave the club. There are things we won’t know unless women report them, so rather than writing about it in the question box, it’s much more effective to send us negative feedback directly.

I’m Aya, a female member. When an attractive older papa (a male supporter) cheated on me, I said something along the same lines, though a little more mildly. (It may sound ridiculous for a mistress to confront someone about cheating, but still.) I snapped at him, saying, “You’re just a pathetic old man who has to throw money around to get sex, and you’re sneaking around cheating on me? Do you think I’m stupid?” He was so shocked that he started doing what I said. I was just getting frustrated because he refused to admit he was cheating. Now that same papa says I’m “his last love” and dotes on me. My allowance has more than doubled since we started. He knows I have other papas and a boyfriend, though. No matter whether he cheats on me or what else he does, I’m the one who wins in this “relationship.” I understand how you feel, but why not turn that dark anger into money? If you don’t, I think it’ll be painful to keep carrying that bubbling magma around inside you. Good luck.

I’m Hikōki, a male member. Dating apps can feel even more blatantly prostitution-like than the adult entertainment industry, almost as if they’re run by professionals. If you’re looking for romance, you should go somewhere outside this kind of environment. Most people are probably aware of that to some extent. After all, they paid to join the club in the first place… That said, there are a lot of misunderstandings, and the reality is that people do sometimes get married—even with a significant age gap, or regardless of whether they met through the adult entertainment industry or at a club. Even you, the questioner, could potentially end up marrying a man you initially felt was impossible because of his age or simply not your type. That’s one major difference from men who insist solely on appearance. Men are so foolish and clueless that they misunderstand things all the time—and that’s precisely why compensated dating clubs can exist in the first place.

I’m Flag Maker, a column writer. You turn men’s desires into money too. That’s what this place is. That’s why it makes money. This isn’t some sweet, easy world to begin with. The only part that’s truly pure and beautiful is the very top layer. Everything else is muddy water.