Japan's middle-aged men hire themselves out
to regain their social status:
"Middle-aged men in Japan have begun offering their advice for hire, in a bid to regain
their masculinity.
Once revered in a male-dominated Japanese society, ’ossan’, middle-aged men, are
now struggling to maintain their social standing in the country’s evolving culture.
The idea was thought up by Takanobu Nishimoto, 50, who spotted a gap in the market
for young people seeking avuncular advice on life’s predicaments but feel unable to
turn to their own family.
Following the boom of self-employed workers that followed the financial crisis Mr
Nishimoto said he founded Ossan Rental service to help older men "regain" their
honour.
The idea has proved popular, with around 10,000 men applying to the site since its
inception."
See:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...social-status/