In Japan, the rent-a-family industry is a real and structured business where people can hire actors to play family members, friends, or romantic partners for social events or companionship.

This concept emerged in the 1990s and gained prominence with the founding of the company Family Romance by Ishii Yuichi in Tokyo. Ishii’s company offers professional performers who take on roles such as a stand-in husband for a wedding or a parent for a graduation or simply a friend to share a meal with.

The service fulfils a social need for those who lack nearby family or friends for important occasions or emotional support. The business is transparent—clients and actors are aware of the arrangement, and the goal is not deception but providing comfort and presence.

Most rental assignments are short-

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