From lonely pensioners to schoolgirls with shattered dreams, Takanobu Nishimoto and his crew of middle-aged men will lend an ear to clients across Japan who would never ever open up to a therapist or worse still, their families.

Anyone in need of company can sign up to his online service to rent an "ossan" — that is a man aged between 45 and 55 — for 1,000 yen ($10) an hour.

"For me, the service is a hobby more than anything," said Mr Nishimoto, who came up with the concept four years ago and now has a growing network of some 60 men across Japan.

"The initial idea was to improve the image of guys my age, people who might not be spring chickens anymore and not taken so seriously."

And while the professional fashion coordinator, 48, is used to renting himself out, he insists conversation is all he offers to between 30 and 40 clients a month, roughly 70 per cent of whom are women.

"The people who rent me are just asking me to keep them company for an hour or two, mainly to listen to them," he said.

He said one client was a woman in her 80s who booked him every week for a walk around the local park.

"I almost became like her son."

Other clients include a fisherman who was sick of waiting in solitary silence for a catch, a college student with ambitions to get into show business but lacked family support, and an awkward young employee who did not know how to behave around his supervisor.

Japan has struggled with problems of social isolation, most notably the phenomenon of "hikikomori".

That is where people, often teens and young adults, refuse to leave the house or engage socially, instead opting to play video games or remain in their rooms.

I've never had any weird clients: Nishimoto

But the people who come to Mr Nishimoto do not suffer from detachment from society or challenges adjusting to it.

Rather, those who use the service say it allows them to forget the expectations of their family and friends and speak freely — an option which experts say is especially useful in Japan, where social roles can be tightly defined and expectations are rigid.

Conformity is often considered important in Japan and expectations run high at any age. ( Kazuhiro Nogi: AFP )

"There's a different 'me' depending on whether I'm with my friends, my family, or my boyfriend," said Nodoka Hyodo, 24, after her session with Mr Nishimoto.

"I create a 'me' in relation to others. Here, all that disappears because I'm talking to someone I don't know ... thanks to him, I feel like I'm understanding myself better."

Psychologist Hiroaki Enomoto noted Japan has social norms governing what can and cannot be said even with close associates.

"When you come up against something new, it might be difficult to talk about this with someone because you might not necessarily have a suitable person in your existing circles," he said.

"It's difficult to know how to express yourself without bothering someone else."

But by renting an ossan the relationship becomes a commercial one and thus follows different rules.

In recent years, a number of agencies have offered "rent-a-friend" services paid by the hour.

Customers can hire an agency employee who plays the role of a friend, family member, or companion for various occasions such as weddings, funerals and parties.

Some use the stand-ins just to have a conversation.

Mr Nishimoto is married and said he had considered ending the service several times, but found he needed his clients just as much as they needed him.

"I never know exactly what they're going to ask for when they rent me, and of course that's a bit scary, but it's also why it's so interesting," he said.

"Honestly, I've never had problems with any weird clients ... I've had plenty of emotional experiences."

AFP