A Japanese company called Rental Kowaihito launched last month, offering to rent out “scary people” with intimidating appearances, including men with shaved heads, tattoos, and yakuza-like looks. The service claimed to help customers resolve disputes by accompanying them to confront workplace bullies, noisy neighbors, cheating spouses, or even to intimidate children’s bullies. However, the company abruptly shut down on August 31 after widespread criticism.
The service attracted attention for essentially offering intimidation tactics that many observers compared to organized crime. Online commenters pointed out that paying people to create menacing atmospheres with implied violence to coerce others sounds exactly like what gangsters and mobsters do. The company’s suggested uses included confronting former employers about back pay or having burly men accompany a woman to intimidate her husband’s mistress, which could potentially lead to criminal charges for extortion or assault.
Source: Sora News
