📍 Near-miss incidents that frequently occur in a certain city

A "different perspective" that suddenly came into view from the stories of the locals.
It is not something that criticizes any specific person, but rather a story about
peeking just a little bit behind the scenes of the city.
I have transcribed the conversation with an acquaintance on a business trip as faithfully as possible.

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──It is said that recently, the number of people wishing to "start a new life abroad" is increasing.

In particular, there are many women who are considering international marriage, and it is said that the number of companies offering programs targeting such people is also increasing.

The reason my acquaintance was about to get involved in "a certain incident" was triggered by one of the women who was participating in such a program.

💄 The program content is just like an overseas wedding

The matching company's program is just like a small overseas wedding. In addition to airfare and accommodation expenses, stylists are arranged locally as needed, along with nail, makeup, and hair styling services. All such services are provided at affiliated local salons.

📅 A meeting between a woman and a man, and then an incident

──One day, a woman in her 30s was scheduled to go on a date locally with a man she had been matched with.
The plan was to tour tourist spots and cafes for about two hours.
She had a good impression of the man, but since they could not communicate directly yet, she decided to wait for contact from the introduction agency.
She had three days left in her stay.

She wanted to see him again.

She said that while waiting for contact from the introduction agency, she was walking alone through the foreign city she had come all this way to visit. Then──

A little further ahead, she saw the same man she had just been with, wearing the same clothes, on a date with another Japanese woman!

She was surprised and angry, and ran up to the man,
causing a scene by demanding, "You were on a date with me just a while ago, what is the meaning of this!?"

The man immediately called local staff, and by their intervention, the situation was settled, but her anger did not subside easily.

After that, perhaps wanting someone to listen to her anger, she visited the staff of the affiliated salon who had done her hair and makeup that morning again,
and apparently left after venting her frustrations.

🗣️ A story heard from someone who knows the circumstances

──From here on is a conversation between person B, who knew how the story unfolded, and me.

B: "...The confrontation. It seems it was quite something.
Besides, I was fine, but
the Japanese-speaking staff had to listen to her complaints for about an hour,
which was tough.
She was really angry, you know.
Not so much at the introduction agency, but at the man who caused that near-miss. 🤔

You see, since the other party is a local man, she couldn't say everything she wanted to in English.
Probably. That's why I think she came to us to vent that frustration."

Me: "The confrontation is intense. But it might be understandable... since she was waiting for contact from him."

B: "But hey, why are you coming to my shop to talk about that? I actually thought, 'I'm open for business!'"

Me: "That's true, I suppose."

B: "And, I heard this later—just as a rumor, mind you... I think that man might have been a 'decoy'."

Me: "A decoy... you mean *that* kind of 'decoy'?"

B: "Exactly. Apparently, while there are locals at that company who genuinely want to get married, there are also quite a few people hired as 'decoys.' It seems those roles often go to good-looking people. Since first impressions are important, it looks like many handsome men are chosen."

Me: "I see. If it's a job, I suppose they'd want to handle several appointments a day to earn money."

B: "That's why these near-misses happen sometimes. This isn't the only one I've heard about."

Me: "So, did you tell her that?"

B: "No way I could tell her. I don't want to get any more involved in this."

I see... If there are 'decoys' like that all over town, it's no wonder these near-misses happen.

Me: "But, if she only met with 'decoys' during her stay... that's a rather sad story in its own right."

B: "Yeah... but that matching company is apparently popular. They claim a 95% couple success rate, but I wonder if that's true."

Me: "I hope it's true. We can only hope so."😮‍💨

🌍 Things I felt were only known to the locals.

I will withhold the location, but this is a true story from a city abroad that I visit often.

Recently, the number of people hoping to move abroad has been increasing. Unless you are sent on an overseas assignment by your company, you have to prepare your own school, housing, work, insurance, and visa, so the hurdles are quite high. On the other hand, for single people, especially those who wish to get married, the option of marriage and relocation through matching services seems to be expanding.

Against this backdrop, the number of companies supporting international marriage is increasing, and matching businesses are being developed for people from various countries, including Japan, China, and South Korea.

Such companies match local marriage seekers with marriage seekers from abroad. It is said that the vast majority of those hoping for international marriage from Japan are women.

However, the schedule after signing the contract seems quite intense.
After arriving at the destination, there are meetings, followed immediately by nails and a spa,
and on the day of the date, two hours of hair and makeup from the morning...
It is as hectic as an overseas wedding.

And, if the schedule permits, the contract holder meets with as many people as possible before returning home.
😮

Even so, it is said that there are not a few people who pay high fees and take on the matching process with serious intentions.

That is precisely why, if there were many "shills" involved like in this case—

Even if there were a shortage of locally registered members, wouldn't that still be,
a bit of a terrible story?

Are these near-misses just a coincidence, or a staged coincidence—

This is an event in a certain city that made me suddenly think about such things.

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Thank you for staying with me until the end.
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