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A company in Japan is offering short-term apartment rentals to give couples some private space. These apartments are advertised as quiet "sanctuaries" that help spouses minimize arguments while spending extended periods of social isolation at home.
"Consult with us before even thinking about divorce just because of the coronavirus," Kasoku, a Tokyo-based company, advertises its special Covid-era service.
Taking advantage of the many vacant hotel rooms that were closed during this period, Kasoku Company launched this service at a very attractive price. These apartments cost 4,400 yen, or about 800,000 VND per day. This is a very reasonable price for renting a room in the expensive city of Tokyo. Furthermore, the service includes a 30-minute free divorce consultation with a legal official so that couples experiencing difficulties can have their questions answered and reconsider their situation.
"Among the clients using the service, one wife said she ran away after a heated argument with her husband. Another female client said she wanted some time for herself because she was exhausted from taking care of her children all day since schools closed," Amano, Kosuke's representative, revealed.
Currently, the hashtag "Corona-divorce" (Divorce due to corona) is trending on Japanese Twitter. NHK television even dedicated a portion of its morning program to offering advice on avoiding marital conflict as couples are stuck together in cramped apartments. One of the reasons for the marital pressure on Japanese women during social isolation is that they bear a large share of the responsibility for childcare and housework, even if they have careers and jobs similar to their husbands.
Amano also stated that the company does not have reliable data to confirm that the divorce rate is increasing in Japan. However, seeing media reports about the rapid increase in divorce rates in China and Russia during the social distancing period, they came up with this novel idea.
The company currently has approximately 500 apartments across Japan. They primarily promote their services through word-of-mouth, with people recommending them to each other. This rental service also attracts individuals facing serious problems, including women who are victims of domestic violence. As of the end of April this year, nearly 100 Japanese people, mainly in Tokyo, have used the service.
On April 16, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a nationwide state of emergency as the number of infections rose to 8,626 and nearly 200 deaths. This was the first time a nationwide state of emergency due to an epidemic had been declared in Japan. Prefectural and city governments have the authority to order schools and many businesses to close until the Covid-19 outbreak can be brought under control.
