Ashley Madison, the popular dating site for dissatisfied married people, launched in Japan in June of last year to compete with the nation’s online dating services.
In separating itself from conventional dating sites, where one may easily pretend to not be attached, Ashley Madison specifically seeks out married people who are unhappy with their sex lives or in relationships in which they are being neglected.
Well, reports Shukan Post (Apr. 25), challenges have emerged but at least one demographic is finding the servivce to be highly satisfying.
A representative of Ashley Madison tells the magazine that the site has more than 25 million registered users worldwide. “But Japan is strict as far as advertising,” says the rep. “We cannot expand our advertising, as we have been rejected in our attempts to run ads on various media platforms.”
In spite of that, the site one million users in Japan had registered with the service through February.
“Even with (these issues) we have still managed to extract those interested in affairs from within the Japanese market,” continues the representative.
Users first build a profile based on age, physical characteristics, and location of residence. This data is then used to bring up a list of hopefully interesting people.
For a man, to engage in an email conversation with a female user requires five credits, which must be purchased. Live chatting, which also requires credits, is also possible.
Woman can filter the searches such that the results include oyaji profiles, or those of dirty old men, and, according to the magazine, the results have been .
“Since I got married, 25 years have passed,” says a 59-year-old male, who claims to have had success with 12 women on Ashley Madison. “My wife had been my only sex partner. But, these days, the relationship is non existent, possibly due to a misunderstanding or some other reason.”
The user says he initially registered on a lark. “I was half-joking,” he says, “but I soon realized that there are a lot of women who look at me for what I am, and who need me.”
Now, he feels reborn. “I enjoy sex now as if I were back in my teenage years,” he says.
Is this a fantasy realized? In whatever case, Shukan Post advises anyone taking the plunge to remove any lingering evidence from his or her computer.
Source: “‘Oyaji suki’ onna ga sugu ni mitsukaru!?” Shukan Post (Apr. 24, pg. 165)