Years of laughter, tears, conflict,
and profound insights as a human rental agent.
Yesterday, I had a first meeting with a new family. The purity in the eyes of a 4-year-old girl gazing up at me reminded me once again of the weight of this work.
When a 6-year-old boy asked me this, I was at a loss for words. I continue to waver between the guilt of lying and the desire to protect this child.
Today, yet another client proposed to me. Watching her cry and say "I truly want to marry you," I felt the difficulty of drawing professional boundaries.
I saw statistics showing that over 30,000 people die alone in Japan each year. Our service is not a fundamental solution. But right now, there are people who need it.
A BBC journalist asked me, "Why does this service work in Japan?" I reflected on loneliness as a universal problem that transcends cultural differences.
When you play a father in 25 different families, sometimes you lose track of who you really are. You wonder if even watching TV at home is just another performance.
My lecture at Harvard, where I received the Glass Award. When I spoke to American students about Japan's loneliness epidemic, their reactions surprised me.
Growing up watching his grandfather, serving others came naturally to Ishii. He carries the teaching: "The finest service is anticipating what someone needs before they ask."
"I put what I feel in the field directly into words.Yuichi Ishii — Human Rental Agency
If it resonates with someone, that is enough."
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