If someone tells you that you will get paid for doing nothing, will you do that. This will be your dream job, right? A 39-year-old Shoji Morimoto Japanese man is living this dream. He used to charge 10,000 yen in INR it is approximately 5,633rs per booking. But now this creative entrepreneur has revealed that he has done charging his clients' money to spend time with him and will be stating a client service called 'People who don't rent anything," He announced this on X (Twitter).
Since 2018, Morimoto has been hired more than 4,000 times to provide company to clients for various reasons without engaging in meaningful conversation or activities. In January announced that he would stop charging clients for his time, only requiring them to cover his travel expenses and any food or drinks consumed during their meetings.
"We are starting a service called 'People who don't rent anything,'" Morimoto wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, in September. "Please use it in situations where the presence of just one person is required, such as stores that are difficult to enter alone, adjusting the number of people for games, and finding a spot for cherry blossom viewing. The price is free."
His business simplicity, and non-committal approach gained attraction. Clients hired him for various reason from having coffee or watching a marathon to personal situations like divorce. Morimoto had set his boundaries that he will not have deep conversations or have any sexual activates. In his recently released memoir, “Rental Person Who Does Nothing,” Morimoto explained his business model and why he decided to stop charging clients. He said that providing passive companionship aligns with his personality as an introvert. “The client wants to do something, and I just go along. No deep commitment is expected and no personality required,” he wrote. Morimoto used to charge 10,000 Japanese yen (about $68) per session and reportedly made nearly $300 daily before the COVID-19 pandemic. After the pandemic's restrictions eased, his business picked up again, leading to encounters ranging from the mundane to the bizarre.
A 27-year-old data analyst from Japan, Aruna Chida, explained why she hired Morimoto, citing the freedom from social expectations. “With my friends, I feel I have to entertain them,” Chida said in 2022. “But with the rental guy, I don’t feel the need to be chatty.” While some have labeled Morimoto a “new-age gigolo,” his approach is more about offering a non-intrusive presence for those who need someone without the social obligations. Morimoto's decision to go free has drawn additional interest, allowing him to continue doing what he enjoys while giving clients an easy-going companion without a price tag.