Ever wanted a friend to join you for no particular reason but couldn’t find one? Shoji Morimoto, a 38-year-old Japanese man known as ‘Rental-Do-Nothing-Man,’ may be the answer. Morimoto, as his name suggests, provides an unusual rental service to his customers in Tokyo by contracting himself out to ‘do nothing’.
‘I’m known as the ‘Rental-Do-Nothing-Man’. I offer the service of being rented to do nothing. This is me, the ‘Do-Nothing-Man,’ and I rent myself out. I go to places where I am directed to do nothing ‘, Shoji Morimoto says.
Although agencies exist where you can hire actors to play your friend or even your entire family, such rental services are not uncommon in Japan. Morimoto, on the other hand, stands out for his ‘effortless’ approach rather than portraying a specific character. ‘What I mean by doing nothing is that I eat and drink (with my clients) and answer their simple questions with simple answers,’ Morimoto clarified.
Morimoto claimed he has been hired over 4,000 times since launching his firm on a Twitter page in 2018 to provide his services, primarily to dine with customers, attend events, and occasionally lend a sympathetic ear. Morimoto currently has about a quarter-million Twitter followers, and about 25% of his clients are repeat customers, including one woman who has used him 270 times.
Morimoto will charge 10,000 yen ($71.20) per reservation. He stated that he will not initiate discussion but will provide direct responses if necessary. In addition to his fee, he charges for transportation, and if the assignment falls between mealtimes, clients are responsible for his food as well. Morimoto is frequently booked for three jobs per day, despite offering what appears to be a specialised service.
Aruna Chida, a data analyst, is one such customer who discovered Morimoto while his company was making waves on social media. The former Mumbai resident, 27, had purchased a sari and was eager to wear it in public, but she was hesitant to invite her friends because they ‘could feel humiliated’. Instead, she chose Morimoto to accompany her for afternoon tea while she was dressed in the Indian outfit. She paid for Morimoto’s services for other reasons as well.
‘I feel obligated to entertain my friends when I’m with them. But with ‘Mr. Rental’ (Morimoto), I don’t have to say much and can just keep quiet (whenever I want) ‘, Chida stated. Another client, who only wanted to be identified by her nickname ‘Kusa’, claimed she was having a bad day at work and needed to do something unusual to lift her spirits. Thus, the 33-year-old government employee asked Morimoto to accompany her to a curry dinner in October 2020 while dressed as Pikachu. He was hired by her yet again to learn about her life.
Morimoto’s growing celebrity has resulted in a number of requests that he has declined. Morimoto has previously turned down clients who wanted to take him to Trinidad and Tobago and those who asked him to assist with a move, in addition to his blanket refusal of any sexually oriented requests.
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