News On Japan

Host clubs go digital in the wake of business closures with live-streaming app toU

Apr 16 (soranews24.com) - The clubs themselves might be closed, but you can still spend time with your favorite host, even if you can’t physically be with him.

With a large number of non-essential businesses in Japan–and across the world–temporarily closed to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, a lot of people are out of jobs for the foreseeable future. No less is that true than for the host club industry, whose business is in entertaining women (and some men) with one-on-one attention from handsome men.

While ordinarily the best of the hosts can make as much as tens of millions of yen (hundreds of thousands of US dollars) per month, the host clubs being closed means they can’t make a dime. And with everything closed and the Japanese government highly recommending that people stay home, more and more people are likely to feel a lack of social connection in their lives, which is, until now, a hole that the host club industry has always been able to fill.

Don’t worry, though; there’s a win-win solution! C-FU, Inc, a Japanese entertainment, fashion, and marketing company, has re-released their app, toU (pronunced “to you”) especially for the host club industry and the people they entertain.

toU is a live stream app for male influencers that was released in December last year. It allows influencers to stream live videos for 30 minutes, during which fans can send them “gifts” in the form of hearts. At the end of the session, the fan who sends the most hearts to the streamer gets three minutes of a one-on-one chat with them.

While this is a little bit different from the traditional host club system, it’s easy to see how it might appeal to the host club industry and its customer base. The app allows hosts and their regular customers to meet face-to-face once again through live streams and chats, so it’s brimming with possibilities for the host industry. And not only that, but those who have never been to a host club or are too shy to go can try it out from the comfort of their home!

Though the app was fairly new, the service was temporarily closed in February for improvements, with plans to reopen it again in June, but with the changes brought about by coronavirus, the company decided to restructure their plans to launch the re-release sooner for the sake of the host club industry.

The new version of the app has streamlined its process to be focused on communication. There are no more special gifts or flashy animations that users can send to their favorite streamer. They can only send hearts, which they can purchase in-app. The idea was to make it so that anyone, even first-time viewers of live streams, can feel comfortable participating, and so that fans can simply enjoy the conversation between the streamers and the viewers.

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

The streets of Shibuya became a chaotic scene during the year-end party season, with excessive drinking leading to public disorder. People were found sleeping on the streets, fights broke out among groups of young revelers, and police and emergency services were frequently called to intervene.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has unveiled a new passport design set to be issued from March next year. The new system will allow online applications not only for renewals but also for new passport requests. Submitting an original family register certificate will no longer be required for online applications.

The next generation of solar cells, known as perovskite solar panels, are ultra-thin, lightweight, and bendable. The Japanese government has set a goal of achieving the equivalent of the energy output from 20 nuclear reactors with perovskite solar cells by 2040. With their use set to expand in various locations next year, 2024 is being called "the dawn of domestic perovskite."

The number of teachers taking mental health leave reached a record high of 7,119 in the 2023 fiscal year at public schools across Japan.

Japan's Ministry of Justice has released this year’s crime white paper, revealing that the number of recognized penal code offenses increased for the second consecutive year.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Society NEWS

Santa takes to the skies, delivering presents to southern islands. From the rear of an open transport aircraft, boxes equipped with parachutes descend to the ground, marked by the glow of a blue light. These deliveries, bringing joy to residents of remote islands in the South Pacific, are part of an international joint exercise involving Japan's Air Self-Defense Force since 2015.

Japan's Ministry of Justice has released this year’s crime white paper, revealing that the number of recognized penal code offenses increased for the second consecutive year.

Police in Kitakyushu have arrested Masanori Hirahara, a 43-year-old unemployed man living near the crime scene, on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the stabbing of two junior high school students at a fast-food restaurant.

Influenza cases in Japan have surged since early December, with a sharp increase in patient reports per medical institution. At a Towa Pharmaceutical factory in Yamagata, demand has exceeded supply despite last year’s facility expansion.

Police have arrested Takashima Nozomu, a 64-year-old author on suspicion of leaving a body in his apartment in Shinagawa, Tokyo.

An elderly woman was stabbed by another woman inside Kobe’s Sannomiya subway station, leading to the suspect’s arrest at the scene on charges of attempted murder.

Japanese 'kira-kira names,' with atypical pronunciation or meaning, could soon be partially accepted under certain conditions, according to proposed guidelines from Japan's Ministry of Justice.

The mourning ceremony for 15-year-old Nakashima Saya, who was fatally stabbed at a fast-food restaurant in Kitakyushu City, was held on Tuesday. The attack, which took place four days ago, left Nakashima dead and a male student seriously injured with a deep wound near his waist. Police continue to search for the suspect, who fled the scene immediately after the attack.