Love Pinkertons

Japan is a strange place, chapter CDXLVII:

Fukuenya, which literally translates as "professionals who restore relations," have apparently become an established part of the services offered by growing numbers of private investigation agencies across Japan.

"Most of our work involves investigating extramarital affairs. About three or four years ago, more people who had asked us to investigate a cheating partner would begin offering to pay if we could break up the partner's relationship. That was the beginning of the wakaresaseya (partnership breaker) business," Ryuhei Misawa, head of the FAX detective agency, tells Shukan Taishu. "Now, though, people are asking us to help them get back with partners they had previously split up with and then employed us to separate from another person they had hooked up with. That's what led to the creation of the fukuenya business."

One female fukuenya reports that "Depending on the situation, I will sleep with a man if it means getting him away from a woman who is the target of our work. Of course, the job doesn't require me to do that. But if I decide that's the best way to get the job done properly, I'll do it. And I'll be happy to do so if it means that I'll be able to get a divided couple back together again."

[Via Jim Henley.]